Victims of Fate
by TheDanaDobreAKAToshiroLover
Summary: 10 years ago, Arystar Krory III's blood rage killed a young girl's parents whom had been turned into an akuma. Feeling guilty for killing her parents, he takes her in. Soon after Eliade comes, the exorcists Allen and Lavi arrive on the scene. AllenxOC.
1. The Dangerous Meet & Greet

**Hiya, Dana here. So, for those who have been thinking about why I haven't posted more on the my other story, the answer is simple.**

**I've been lazy and my mind has been in one of those writer-block moods. **

**Anyways, that has been mostly to the fact that I've been reading and watching the D. Gray-man Anime.**

**If you haven't heard of it, go watch it now. It's AMAZING! :D Then again, you wouldn't be here if you'd never heard of it.**

**Thought of this one while thinking of Romania, and eventually it went to the amazing Arystar Krory. I used the name Stefania for a few reasons, the main being that it's one of my friends from Romania name.**

**Disclaimer: The only disclaimer for the entire series, as I have grown bored of writing it over and over again. I do not own any of the D. Gray-man or any of it's characters, just Stefania. And possibly other characters that I _ might_ add.**

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><p><strong>Victim of Fate<strong>

"Oh Ary-kun! Hurry up now!" a girl's voice taunts. Arystar Krory the third began to struggle to catch the girl who was sprinting down the dark hallway of the castle. "Please, Stefania! (Shh-the-fah-nee-ah) Wait up!" he yells as Stefania turns the corner. Even though Krory was much faster than the average adult human, he had never won in a running race against Stefania, who was only 14 years old. Then again, he didn't have much to base off this assumption because he was shunned by all average adult humans, and rarely left his castle.

Stefania took another turn and snuck a glance behind her. Ary-kun was only just turning the corner at the end of the hallway behind her. She giggled and continued to run. She knew the entire castle practically by heart, she have lived here for as long as she could remember. She knew that Ary-kun was _supposedly_ a vampire, but she didn't care much for that. She knew Ary-kun would never hurt her, even when she was a little girl. She continued running, going faster and faster, Ary-kun's protests of slowing down gradually falling from her ears. Suddenly, she slammed into what felt like a wall.

Stefania grunted and fell flat on her back, breath momentarily taken from her. "Trying to run from Krory again?" The dark figure above her asks harshly. Stefania groaned once when she recognized the voice. Eliade was the one she had run into. Standing up, Stefania rubbed her sore butt and asked coldy, "Why'd you run into me, Eliade? You could've easily moved out of my way." Eliade just shakes her head placing her hands on her hips. "What are we going to do with you?" Eliade retorts coldly.

"Ha! I caught you now!" they hear Krory yell as he turns the corner. Suddenly, he stops as he sees Eliade. His face brightens and he rushes to her side, giving her a kiss. Stefania begins to walk away, completely disgusted by the sight. She had always hated Eliade, never trusting her. Krory had gone on one of his accidental killing sprees in the forest when he met her. He managed to stop himself from killing her, and she joined him. I was 12 at the time.

Stefania had been extremely jealous of Eliade because ever since she had joined the two of them two years ago, Stefania had been getting less and less time with Ary-kun. He had, lots of time after all, to play with her. There really was nothing else to do in the castle that was remotely interesting except go to the large library on the bottom floor, but Ary-kun had forbidden it for unknown reasons. Now he spent nearly every minute with Eliade. Stefania had just managed to get Ary-kun to chase her around the castle, one of their favorite games to play, when Eliade had to ruin the fun.

Ary-kun had begun to speak softly to Eliade behind her, probably talking about, what Eliade dubbed 'Adult things'. Stefania just continued to walk away, beginning to absentmindedly braid the long locks of brown hair that reached down to above her butt. She might have to get it cut soon, but the last time Ary-kun had tried to cut her hair, she had gone on a hunger strike.

She adored her hair, not allowed anyone to touch it. Once, when Eliade went through the phase of trying to gain her approval, which did not succeed, she asked Stefania wanted her to do her hair. She already had a hairbrush and some hair bands in her hands, and had begun walking towards her. Stefania had run away and made Eliade chase her throughout the castle for several hours before Eliade gave up. That was one of the few times she'd actually had _fun_ with Eliade.

Upset and bored, Stefania went to her room in the tallest tower in the castle and opened the window, climbing onto the roof. It was nighttime, as Ary-kun, Eliade, and herself all lived on a nocturnal schedule. Settling down next to the highest tip, she leaned back and looked at the stars and moon above her. They were especially beautiful tonight, as there was not a single cloud in the sky and it was a full moon, making the scenery around the castle easy to see. Glancing down at the village a few miles away, she sighed. Lately, Ary-kun's killing craves had gotten worse and occurred more often. This caused the normally peaceful relationship between the two to be strained. Stefania was certain that if Ary-kun killed another villager, they would begin to take action.

Stefania puts her elbows on her knees and places her chin on top of her knuckles. This was often her bored pose which she had adopted soon after Eliade had come. She scans the surrounding scenery lazily, almost passing over the small light from inside the forest at the gates of the castle. Quickly, her view returns to the place she had seen the light. Her eyes widened, she had seen it again! Standing up, she is about to make her way back into her room when she notices that the small light had turned into a large one when it came into view in front of the gate. It was a mob, certainly the villagers. Quickly, she makes her way back inside to find Ary-kun and warn him.

"Ary-kun!" yells Stefania as she runs down the empty hallways. "Ary-kun! Eliade!" After a few minutes of running around the castle, she finds the two of them watching the mob at the gate at the main window in the front of the castle. Here they could see a good view of the gate and the surrounding forest. "They're here, Ary-kun!" Stefania cries, going to the other side of Krory. This was the first time the villagers had come as a mob for Stefania, and she was frightened they'd kill them all. Krory placed a hand on the girl's head reassuringly. Stefania made no move to brush Krory off her wonderful hair, reassured by the gesture.

"Don't worry, Stefania, Eliade. I will protect you if it comes to that." Krory says, his eyes still on the mob. Something seems off with the mob, as she notices that two boys around her age are standing at the front. Why would two boys be leading a large angry mob? The two boys walk in the front gate while the mob stays behind.

"You're not going to hurt the boys, are you Ary-kun?" Stefania asks, frightened for the boy's safety. "Only if they attack us, Stefania." He says. Stefania decides to meet them at the front door of the castle and tell them to get lost. Ary-kun was especially protective of them and their way of life, and would kill in order to preserve the peace. Besides, she'd rather not lose the only boys around her age she'd seen come close to the castle. Turning around and running out of the room, she heads to front door.

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><p>A few minutes later, after reaching the front door, Stefania's surprised that the boys hadn't come yet. Even though she hadn't gotten a good look at them from the window, she knew that one of had white hair and the other had red hair. She begins to search for them inside the castle, not willing to go out the front door. As she begins her search, however, she begins to hear screams coming front the carnivorous plant's room. She runs there only to find Eliade and one of Ary-kun's most recent unfortunate victim's body in a coffin.<p>

"Eliade, what the hell are you doing?" Stefania asks as she walks into the large room. The two boys are in the middle of the carnivorous plants, being attacked. "Just give the plants the damn body already." Eliade looks at me and then complies. She opens the coffin and tosses the body to the plants that then ignore the two boys. "You shouldn't swear, Stefania." Eliade scolds coldly. Stefania stuck her tongue out at her.

"Hey, idiots, you should leave the plants alone and come over here!" Stefania then yells, beckoning them over. After exchanging glances they come closer, but don't come within 20 meters of them either way. "Eliade, maybe you should go back to Ary-kun, make sure he's alright." Stefania says an obvious order for her to leave. Eliade glares but does as she does as Stefania told her, walking away.

"Alright idiots, I suggest you leave. The front door is that-a-way and your butts better be moving towards it if you want to live!" Stefania says cheerfully, jerking her thumb behind her. The two boys are obviously dumbfounded that someone as young as Stefania would be living with the vampire. They are frozen to their spots before the boy with the white hair smiles and says, "No can do, sorry." Stefania squints her eyes suspiciously and asks, "Do you _want_ to be killed that badly?"

The boy with the red hair and eye-patch has a dreamy look in his free eye and yells out, "Strike!" he runs forwards, jumping to hug Stefania. The girl simply puts her foot out. The boy is kicked straight in the _no-no_ area and sinks to his knees, tears growing in his eye. "So harsh…" he whispers. "Sorry about Lavi, he's normally like this around girls…" says the boy with the white hair, trailing off. "Anyway, my name is Allen Walker. What is your name?" Allen asks, stepping forward with his hand outstretched. As she raises her own arm to shake his hand, she feels strong arms come from behind and thrust her backwards. Stefania gives a startled yelp before she realized it was only Krory.

"Eh, Ary-kun, what are you doing?" she asks as Krory steps in front of her protectively. "You know better than to make friends with the outsiders. They'll only ruin the peace here, Stefania. You can't trust them." Scolds Krory harshly, not taking his eyes off of Allen and Lavi. Stefania gasps but lowers her head in submission and shame. "I'm sorry Ary-kun. Can you please not hurt them? They're only boys!" she pleads. Krory was in one of those blood frenzies, and she was afraid that he would kill them both.

"Are you the vampire that has been terrifying and killing villagers in the town nearby?" asks Allen. Stefania is about to object when Krory puts a hand in front of her and says, "Yes. That's me. Now leave, before I have to kill you."

"If you hear us out for one moment, we think we know why you're a so called vampire. We were here investigating the area around the castle and discovered a graveyard tha-," starts Allen rapidly trying to explain. Krory doesn't let them finish and begins to attack Lavi, who was still on his knees. Lavi immediately jumps to his feet and grabs an insanely small hammer before saying, "Hammer grow grow grow!" the hammer grows to become very large, looming ominously above Krory.

Lavi aims the hammer downwards, but Krory dodges it. Allen takes out his left arm and yells, "Innocence, activate!" almost immediately, his arm turns into a large white cannon and he begins to aim and shoot at Krory. "Hey! Two on one isn't fair!" Stefania yells outraged. Krory, however, easily dodges both attacks. He manages somehow to get behind Allen, whom he then bites. Stefania's heart falls. Once he bites someone, they were goners. Suddenly, he retracted from the boy, spitting out blood and gagging.

"Good God boy, your blood tastes absolutely awful!" he manages to choke out. Lavi begins to laugh loudly. Stefania giggle at the prospect of bad tasting blood. Krory recovers and jumped towards Allen with arms outstretched. Allen barely manages to dodge, but Krory grabs the end of his cloak, jerking him backwards. Allen changes his arm so it's in the shape of a large white arm and grabs Krory shoulder, backflipping over him so Allen was behind him and then pushing him forward powerfully.

"Ary-kun!" Stefania cries out when Krory is pushed into the stone wall, going straight through it. Stefania is about to run towards the large hole in the wall when another pair of arms holds her back. "Don't you dare." Eliade hisses into her ear. She struggles and kicks against Eliade's grip and she lifts Stefania into the air. "Get off of me!" she screams.

Suddenly, Stefania has a warm feeling in the right-hand side of her body, mainly her shoulder blade and arm. She elbows Eliade in the face with her right elbow, effectively stopping her hold on Stefania. The brunette drops to the ground, spinning to face Eliade. Suddenly she sees something absolutely awful hovering above Eliade's right shoulder.

"My god… what… is that?" Stefania says horrified. It looks like a partially disintegrated woman almost completely wrapped in chains. The eyes and mouth are empty black holes.

_Help… Me…_

Stefania faintly hears those words as she stands frozen, looking at the horrifying figure. Eliade uses that as an advantage and throws her across the room. Stefania goes through the stone wall behind Allen and Lavi, which happens to go through the wall of the castle. The carnivorous plants room happens to be situated two to three hundred feet above the graveyard, which Stefania happens to be falling towards.

"Stefania!" Krory yells as he sees her body going over the edge. He runs with renewed strength and jumps over the edge. Stefania is falling with her arms outstretched above her, desperately reaching towards Krory's.

"Ary-kun!" she screams. Krory knows he won't be fast enough to catch her and that she'll probably die from the fall. Stefania knows this as well. But she doesn't accept it.

_I don't want to die!_ She thinks furiously, tears running down her eyes as the ground comes close quickly.

_I want to live, damn it! _She repeats furiously.

_I will not die!_

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><p>DUN DUN DUN!<p>

Will Stefania die in the first 2 chapters? Probably not, but who knows? Only me, that's right!

Anyway, I was wondering on what I should do for the next chapter.

I feel as if i'm rushing things a bit in this one, moving so quick.

**Dana: Also, anyone who reviews is given a metaphorical cookies baked by me! They're delicious, aren't they Stefania?**

**Stefania: ****Meh, I like gogosi better.**

***Dana's eyes begin to water***

**Dana: She's... perfect...**

***Stefania gives Dana a 'wtf' look***

**Dana: Gogosi made by my grandmother for all those who review. Also for those who actually know what gogosi are!**

***Stefania smiles greedily***

**Stefania: Now THOSE are some good ones! **


	2. Innocence

****Hooray! After toiling for a few hours, I finally managed to finish this!

Thank you **MCRDanime** and **Shaybo27** for being my first reviewers! Props to them :)

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><p><strong>Victim of Fate Chapter 2 – Innocence<strong>

_**Last time on Victim of Fate...  
><strong>_

_I don't want to die!_ She thinks furiously, tears running down her eyes as the ground comes close quickly.

_I want to live, damn it! _She repeats furiously.

_I will not die!_

"Krory!" she screams

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><p>The warm feeling in Stefania's right arm quickly envelops her entire body excluding her face. She finds a cloak wrapping softly around herself.<p>

She immediately tucks herself into the cloak, covering her face with it. She knows that the cloak will protect her, for some strange reason. A second after she had wrapped the cloak around her, the impact shuddered throughout her body.

"Stefania… No!" Krory yells, despaired that the young girl, or so he thought, was dead. He lands softly nearby. He rushes over to her side, confused on when the cloak had found its way onto her. He had not seen a cloak like this one before. The cloak was made of the softest white material he'd ever seen. On what appeared to be the back of the cloak laid a teal lightning bolt. Protruding the teal bolt was blue and black streams of what seemed like electricity, spreading in jagged edged across the entire cloak. They appeared to be _glowing. _The lump under the cloak shifted to show Stefania, relatively unharmed

"Ary-kun…" she whispers, looking at Krory with wide teal eyes. She then gives him a sudden hug, jumping into his arms, crying. Their reunion is short lived when they see a large fire dragon come out of the hole of the castle. "Stefania, you have to stay here. I'll be back in a moment." Krory promises, giving her a quick kiss on the top of the head and jumping to the hole. Stefania scowls.

She looks back at the spot she landed on. She nearly does a double take when she sees something in the hole. Inside lays a pure white flute with a blue jagged lightning bolt going down it.

Stefania picks it up after inspecting it from a distance. The flute is surprising light in her hand, she can barely feel its weight. She brings it to her mouth and gives it an experimental blow.

A sweet, pure sound comes from the flute. Stefania smiles, her blue orbs wide with excitement. Could this flute possibly have another power other than sounding absolutely heavenly? She hears more crashes from above, and she decides to give it a try before they end the fight.

Bringing the flute back up to her lips, she tries to make a light, airy sound. The effect is instantaneous. She begins to float in the air, making her up towards the hole in the wall.

20 seconds of playing later, she steps onto the hole of the wall.

"You!" yelled an ugly monster from across the room, vaguely reminding Stefania of Eliade. "You shall die along with Krory!" the monster rushes as the brunette. Without time for Krory or the others to react, Stefania brings the flute to her lips and manages a loud shrilly sound from the flute. Immediately, the monster stops.

"You little bitch!" it shrieks. The flute's sound is obviously painful. "Try playing without water!" it yells after it recovered. It attacks, sending out bubbles. Stefania sends out another shrill note, this time destroying all the bubbles the monster throws at her. It hovers there, dumbfounded. "How could you possibly…" it murmurs.

Krory takes the chance to bite his fangs into the monster, sucking all the blood out in a matter of a minute. He then looks at the monster with mournful eyes, "I'm so sorry Eliade…" he murmurs.

The monster just smiles lightly, "Don't worry about it…" she whispers. She then disappears in a burst of dust.

A few minutes of silence pass as Krory looks at the arms which once held Eliade, the dust blowing away from his fingertips.

Looking at Krory was enough to make her bring the flute to her lips once more. The cavern began to fill with the sound of melancholy music. It starts out as a whisper, something you just barely hear on the wind. It quickly grows until the song is echoing throughout the entire castle. The music begins to spill out of the hole into the wall, spreading until it reached the country-side.

The mob that had been waiting for the return of Allen and Lavi could now hear the music. They all thought the haunting song had come from God, for they had never heard anything so passionate, sad, or pure in their entire lives. The mob quickly grows to tears, as well as the remaining women and children in the town.

After what seems like hours, but minutes in reality, the young woman set the flute down from her lips, ending the song with a long note. Tears she refused to have fall stung in her eyes. Slowly, she walks towards Krory, flute in-hand.

"Ary-kun?" she whispers, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. He remains where he is, unmoving. She sits down next to him and puts her arms around him in a soft hug. Her head on his shoulder, she breathes in his clean scent of fresh plants. Suddenly, she feels exhausted. Taking a final deep breath, she falls asleep.

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><p>Stefania feels herself fall off of her soft perch, falling to the ground with a thud. She yells, "Damn it, Eliade!" she begins to get up, brushing the dirt off of herself, "If you wanted me awake then you should've just…" she glances around, eyes growing wide. She appears to be on a moving train, and the only person in the car was a small old man who a strange ponytail.<p>

"Gomen'nasai!" she says, bowing slightly at the old man. Even though she had no clue where the hell the train was, she wasn't planning on acting rude because of it. What would the old man think?

"You didn't happen to see a man in his twenties and in a black cloak around here, do you?" she asked after the man didn't respond.  
>"Yes, they left the car a few hours ago." The old man replied who then turned his head to look out the window. That was obviously all she would get from him.<p>

She bowed again slightly and left the car. She began to wander down the train, going towards the third class area. After passing several cars filled to over-capacity, she walked into the caboose. On the floor sat Allen, Lavi, and Krory with a few strangers. They appeared to be playing cards.

"Ary-kun! Where are your clothes!" she squeals, looking away and covering her eyes.

"I apparently bet them away. Allen is helping me by winning the clothes back." Krory explains sheepishly.

Stefania takes a quick peek at Allen and nearly does a double-take. The friendly Allen who could do no harm to his friends looked like he turned into a monster while playing cards.

"Allen… are you alright?" she asks warily.

"I'm perfectly fine, Stefania. There's no need to worry about me, I've got everything under my control. You should be worrying about those three in front of me!" said Allen, an evil gleam in his eyes.

In front of Allen sat three men. One has a hat, another one with short brown hair, and the other has messy black hair and thick glasses which block the view of his eyes. The man with the glasses looks like their leader.

"What the hell is it with men and gambling! Not only does Ary-kun gamble away his clothes, but you do too?" she shrieks, shielding her eyes once more, "We're lucky Allen can actually play cards or else _all_ the men would've lost their clothes!"

A groaning sound comes from beside Allen. "So I'm not a man to you?" Lavi says, disappointed.

"No, you're more like a dog that wants attention. An ugly dog." She retorts angrily.

"So harsh…" he says, placing a mocking hand on his heart.

Stefania's right eye twitches. She turns away and opens the car door, "I'm going back to our room. You all better have your clothes back by then, or I'll toss you off the train!" she calls over her shoulder as she shuts the door.

She walks away, looking out the window as she passed through the different cars. Suddenly, she realizes that she didn't ask them why there were on a train. She sighs after giving herself a mental face-palm. _I'll ask them later_, She thinks

She walks back into her own car-room, slamming the door shut. _I seem really irritable for some reason…_ she thinks. Luckily the old man wasn't there and couldn't scold her on her manners. She was alone in her room as she took a seat next to the window. She decides to take this moment to look more at the whistle on her neck. Placing it in her hands, the white whistle appeared to be like any other, except for the fact it had a small blue lightning bolt on it's body. Curious, she placed her finger on it. The whistle started emitting a bright light, which made her place a hand over her eyes. When the light stopped, she gazed in amazement at the whistle.

It had turned back into a flute, and it was still the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

After admiring it for a few minutes, she brought the flute up to her lips. She started to play out a soft tune, thinking of Krory. With all of her concentration, she begins to play a soft, slow song. She placed plenty of high notes, for those, she found, were the best sounding on her flute. She continued to look out the window, the night sky passing by her in a blur, but the moon stayed in the same position.

_At least one thing never changes. There'll always be moon phases._ She thought as she continued to play. As the thought of the moon passed by her, she changed her song to sound mysterious and lonely. Stefania found that she almost never had a take a breath, and that she knew all the notes by heart with her flute, something she hadn't noticed before.

She brings the flute down onto her lap after finishing the song and sighs heavily. She hears a quiet applause coming from the door. Startled, she nearly jumps several feet in the air. There stood Allen and Lavi, clapping at her.

Angrily, she stood up, "And what exactly did you do that for? Scare the crap outta me again and I'll be sure to get back at you!" she shakes her closed fist in their direction.

The applause stops and Allen smiles apologetically, "Sorry, we were just listening to you play. You sound amazing."

Stefania feels the blood rush to her cheeks, so she quickly turns her back at them.

"It was nothing, really…" she says, dismissing it with a waving hand.

Turning back she asks, "So, where are we exactly?"

"We're on a train, bozu!" Lavi says, wrapping an arm around Stefania's shoulder. Quick as a flash she hit him across the head.

"I'm not a bozu, baka!" she retorts angrily as he cradles his injured head, fake tears going down his eyes.

"We're headed towards the Black Order. There you and Krory will be able to learn more about your Innocence." Allen explained while Lavi continued to whine.

"Alright then… if Ary-kun is alright with it, I am too." Stefania says, shrugging indifferently.

Krory stumbles into the room, this time fully clothed. Stefania smiles at him and changes the flute back into the whistle which falls back on her neck.

"So what were you doing in the caboose with those shady men early, Ary-kun?" Stefania questioned, an eyebrow raised.

"I… got lost." Krory says, looking down sheepishly. Stefania laughs loudly and smiles at Krory.

"Don't worry, Ary-kun, we'll fix your sense of direction sooner or later!" she reassures him, placing a comforting hand on his arm. He just smiles sheepishly down at her once more.

Suddenly, Allen's left eye activates.

"There's an akuma nearby…" he says, opening the car door. Through the window we can all see a several large Akuma coming our way.

They all rush into the hallway as the akuma appear to be splitting up, going towards different sides of the train.

"We should be able to split up and get them all, there are only four of them." Stefania says seriously. She immediately goes towards the caboose of the train where one of the akuma is going.

Activating her Innocence, she grips it in her hand. As she opens the door to the caboose, she freezes.

The akuma is sitting right outside, just following the moving train. It does not appear to be attempting to attack it. Inside the caboose, where Allen and the strangers had played cards, stood a gray-skinned man with a formal suit and a top hat. His black hair is slicked back underneath the hat, and underneath his left eye laid a mole. But what caught Stefania's attention he most was the 7 stigmata on his forehead, which was partially concealed by his top hat.

They stood there looking at each other, Stefania with wary eyes and the man with playful eyes.

"Hello, my darling. My name is Tyki Mikk. Such a pleasure to meet you…" he says after a few moments, bowing down. "But you should know you've come earlier than expected. We are sadly not ready for you yet, I'm so sorry for the inconvenience."

"What are you talking about?" Stefania asks cautiously, still gripping her flute.

"Why, you'll join our family soon enough, my darling." Tyki says casually. Taking out a packet of cigarettes, he holds one out for her.

"Care for one?" he asks.

"I don't smoke." She says, still glaring into his eyes untrustingly. He sighs and puts the cigarette in his mouth, lighting it. Taking in a huge breath, he then blows out all the smoke in Stefania's direction.

Stefania doesn't react, letting the smoke hit her face and poison her nose.

"Why, exactly, should I have to join your family when I have one of my own? Ary-kun is all the family I need." Stefania asks.

Tyki chuckles lightly, "Have you ever wondered why you don't have a normal life? Why you don't have actual parents?"

Stefania stiffens slightly and says, "I have Ary-kun, he's all the family I need. I've told you this before."

"Ah, but you didn't answer my question. I already know the answer, though." He says, blowing out another plume of smoke.

"For your information, your parents are dead. Do you want to know what killed them?" he teases slightly, giving her a small smile.

When Stefania doesn't answer, he continues.

"They died by your precious Ary-kun… he stole you from your parents after he killed them." Tyki says, obviously enjoying it. "Is that really the kind of family you want?"

Stefania stands there, frozen. Could Ary-kun have actually done that? Her eyes widen.

"Ah, so it finally hits you." Tyki says, amused once more. He takes another long drag from his cigarette before crushing it under his foot.

Stefania raises her flute in the blink of an eye, her eyesight hued red with anger. She plays out a short tune with loud crashes and angry notes. The flute immediately takes effect, the air around them loud with the crackles of electricity sounding around them. She keeps her eyes glued on Tyki, who still smiles. A strange wardrobe appears behind him.

"Au revoir, my little Stefania. We will meet again. Remember what I told you." He says, grinning maliciously. He turns to walk into the wardrobe.

Blinded by anger, Stefania points her flute at Tyki and yells, "Release!" In that moment, all the electricity that had gathered in the room rushed to her flute. The flute, now supercharging with energy, released out a large blue lightning bolt from the tip of the flute. It goes straight through the door, breaking it. A large _**BOOM**_ echoes through the car and the surrounding area.

"Road, another one please." He says simply, turning his head to watch Stefania.

Stefania, on the other hand, had just nearly collapsed from the exhaustion the move had given her. The door reappears and Tyki gives a small wave before disappearing. Stefania is on her hands and knees, trying to recover. She remembers that there is an akuma outside the car, which is now coming closer and closer, aiming the guns towards Stefania. She, however, had no strength to move or play her flute.

Suddenly, the old man she had seen earlier comes into the room. The akuma is immediately covered in needles and explodes. The old man looks down at her and places a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Come, we must return to the others." He says, sounding more like an order. Stefania forces herself to stand up. The flute had turned back into a whistle and was smoking slightly, probably from using that large attack. Following the old man, she met up with the others. Everyone seemed to be alright, but it was obvious to Krory that she was exhausted.

"Are you alright? We heard a large explosion come from where you were, I was so worried!" Krory said, giving her a quick hug after checking to see if she had any prominent wounds. Stefania flinches slightly at his touch, the words Tyki said still echoing in her head.

_He stole you from your parents after he killed them… _

"I'm fine…" she says tiredly, giving Krory a small smile, "Just a bit tired is all."

"Junior, you must have more awareness of your surroundings and never let your guard down. I won't save you again." The old man says sharply

"But Panda-jiji…" Lavi complains. The old man hits the red-head upside the head.

"My name is Bookman. Not Panda-jiji, Junior." Bookman says, staring at Lavi with cold eyes. Lavi cradled his head.

"See how much he hurts me?" Lavi complains once more.

Stefania chuckles lightly. "You two are such close friends; it's kind of amazing of how close you really are! It's hard to imagine how long you two have been together to form that deep a relationship."

Lavi and Bookman share a glance; for once Lavi isn't smiling or making a joke out of it. Stefania walks towards the door to their car, intending to sleep off the exhaustion.

Once she places her hand on the handle, however, pain blossoms from it. With a sharp gasp of pain she releases her grip and looks at her hand. Her right hand is burnt severely, the stinging sensation of cold air only just now becoming painfully aware. Nearly all the skin had been burnt off or is peeling away. It was truly a horrid sight, and Krory hadn't noticed her hand, which was strange.

Bookman immediately went to her side and gentle lifted her arm to the light so he could see. Narrowing his eyes, he pulled down her sleeve. Stefania's eyes widened as she saw the sight.

Starting from her burnt hand, a long strip of burnt skin twirled up her arm, looking more like a black ribbon. The strip continued up arm, but it was obvious she wasn't going to take off her shirt to look at the extent of the injury. She hadn't felt the pain of this before she saw the injury itself, and now her entire left arm was laced with extreme pain, almost driving her unconscious.

"I don't think you're alright, Stefania." Allen whispers, frowning in concern for his friend.

"Stefania…" Krory whispers, concerned and baffled. He hadn't looked at her hands, apparently, because he was sure she had looked perfectly fine.

Stefania puts on a brave face for the others, smiling lightly.

"It doesn't hurt too much, you should stop worrying!" she lies in a forced cheerful tone. She pulls her arm away from Bookman and pushes the sleeve down it again, succeeding in almost making her pass out from the pain. But she continues to smile.

"All I need is some rest is all!" she said cheerfully once more. This time, she forces herself to open the door despite the pain is brings. Closing the door on the people outside, she lies down on the soft cushion. Careful to make sure to place her arm in the comfortable position possible, which wasn't very comfortable, she immediately falls asleep.

* * *

><p>Alright, Chapter 2 is DONE. It appears both Krory (not a big surprise) and Stefania have Innocence! Next chapter will be the introduction to the Black Order.<p>

So, Shaybo27 was correct about Stefania having Innocence! Congrats, you get a cookie.

Here's a quick Japanese lesson, for those who don't know the general slang many anime-writers use.

**Gomen'nasai: **I'm so sorry, or just i'm sorry.

**Baka:**Idiot, an insult.

**Bozu: **Kid or squirt.

**Jiji: **Actually means Gramps or Grandpa, funny because my grandpa's name was Gigi, pronounced the same as Jiji here. This means that I would call my grandpa 'grandpa gramps' if I was Japanese :P


	3. Strained Relationships & the Black Order

I felt really bad when I noticed all the reviews I have ended in the same thing: **Update soon!** I realized I hadn't updated in a week.

So, driven by the resolve to make people happy, I made this!

Also... 5 review milestone! I'll update more often, I promise.

In response to **Shaybo27**: It probably wont be like Kariya from Bleach... as I was writing the last chapter I was trying to go more for like a God's purifying lightning bolt. But as you saw, her Innocence wont let her get away with using that much power ;). As I was writing this chapter, however, I started thinking more about like electrical signals to the brain, considering the ear translates the sounds into electrical signals that are recognized by the brain. So _technically_ it works with the electrical approach. Kinda like messing with your brain :P

* * *

><p><strong>Victim of Fate Chapter 3 – Strained Relationships &amp; the Black Order<strong>

Headlines of newspapers flash through Stefania's mind's eye.

_**Vampire Count Krory Strikes Again! Two Murdered in Plain Sight!**_

_**Vampire Count Krory Kills Our Doctors! Three Patients Also Murdered!**_

_**Vampire Count Krory Kills Two Well-Known Teachers, Daughter Missing; Presumed Dead!**_

_Stefania is huddled in a tight ball, eyes wide and hands over her ears, trying to block out the terrifying noises. Why did Mummy and Daddy act so strangely?_

_She had hidden in her closet when they had looked at her with hungry eyes. They, however, didn't follow to comfort her like they normally would._

_A few minutes later, she had heard the terrifying noises that had started somewhere in the house. The sounds of vases breaking, pots clanking, and the dull thud of people being thrown against a wall bombarded her ears._

_She was looking through the small hole in her closet that gave her a view of the living room, perfect for spying on Mummy and Daddy when they brought friends over._

_Mummy and Daddy appeared in the living room, or should she say, were thrown in the living room. They hit the wall to the right of her, so the view of them is blocked. A large looming figure appears in the doorway._

_Stefania struggles to stay quiet, trying not to shriek at both occurrences. The figure comes closer and closer to the hole in the wall, approaching her Mummy and Daddy._

_The man, who had large fangs and a white stripe in his hair, was absolutely terrifying. He had a crazed look on his face, and was heading directly to her hiding spot._

_She immediately knew what it was. The man in front of her was a real life vampire._

_The man jumps to her parents, making a loud boom to her right. Stefania immediately struggles not to cry when she begins to hear the sounds of sucking. A few minutes later, the sucking sound ends. _

_The bodies of her Mummy and Daddy are thrown to the opposite wall, Daddy slumped over Mummy. Both were completely still._

_Stefania finally utters a little scream, muffled by her hand over her mouth. The vampire immediately looks towards the wall her hole was on, coming close._

_He looks directly into the small hole. His eye is wide and bloodshot as he gazes at the small girl._

_Stefania shrieks loudly and runs to the other end of closet, huddling into the corner, shaking. The vampire simply punches the wall, creating a large hole for him to walk into._

_He steps into the small closet and walks towards her. His arms are outstretched. _

_She screams loudly as the arms grip her._

Stefania wakes up suddenly, eyes wide. Allen is looming over her, looking worried.

"We're here, Stefania." He says, "You alright?"

She just sits up, making sure to use her left arm.

"I'm fine, no worries." She says, smiling.

Allen obviously doesn't buy it, but lets it go. Stefania stands up and follows Allen off the train.

Krory, Lavi, and Bookman are already standing outside.

"Nice to see you're awake, sleeping beauty!" Lavi says, smiling.

"Eh, drop the act. It's bothering me." Stefania says, not amused.

"What act? What if I really think you're sleeping beauty?" Lavi challengers, his grin growing wider.

"The act you seem to have all the time. Just be yourself, unless you can't remember." She says, ignoring the question.

Lavi's grin falters slightly. Bookman looks at Stefania suspiciously. Sensing the foul mood coming quickly, Allen cuts in.

"Let's get going, there are lots of things we need to do at the Black Order." Allen says, beginning to walk down a street.

"That's the wrong way, Allen! Besides, you shouldn't be the one leading us, remember your sense of direction?" Lavi calls down the street, his grin returning to his face.

Allen stops and looks at them sheepishly. "Right, lead the way." he says, arm outstretched.

Lavi walks in the opposite direction Allen did, and we all follow him. Stefania is next to Allen and Lavi, while Krory is on the other side of Bookman.

She does this on purpose, still rattled by the recent nightmare. She listens absently to Allen talking about what they'll be doing once they got back to the Black Order.

The pain on her right arm had gone down since the other night, but it still ached painfully. As they continue to walk through town, a nagging thought kept returning, annoying her to no end.

Why exactly was Allen acting all nice and happy? For some reason, she knew that something painful had happened in his past. Something terribly painful; and yet he continued to smile and be polite to every person he met.

She ponders this to thrust the thought of her nightmare away. Lavi also acted like a total idiot, when she knew that he was probably a lot smarter than herself, Allen, and Krory combined.

She realized that she hadn't told them about Tyki Mikk, and that they must be in the dark, but she came to the conclusion that she didn't have to tell them.

"Hey Stefania, we're here!" Allen said, poking her shoulder. Stefania snapped out of her deep thinking and looked up. There stood the tallest and probably most ominous looking building she'd ever seen.

"Well I guess that's why it's called the Black Order…" Stefania mumbles. The building looked like a large castle, an old large castle. They walk up to the gatekeeper, who immediately wakes up.

"Time for a full-body inspection!" it yells. Stefania and Krory are struck by a bright light. Stefania yelps and attempts to jump out of the light, but it followed her around.

After being forced to stand still by Allen and Lavi, Stefania finally stays put for the light. She doesn't like it at all, feeling as though it's an invasion of her privacy.

The Gatekeeper gapes at her for a moment before screaming and yelling out, "GAH! A NOAH! QUICKLY, ALLEN, KILL HER! PUT ON THE ALARMS!"

Stefania nearly jumps ten feet in the air when the gatekeeper screams in her face.

"You baka, I'm not a Noah, whatever that is!" Stefania yells at it, annoyed.

The alarms begin to sound loudly.

"INTRUDER!" the Gatekeeper continues to yell. Something that looks like an eye with bat wings approaches the group.

"Allen, who exactly did you bring with you?" A male voice crackles from it. Stefania, again, nearly jumps several feet in the air when she hears it.

"The hell is with all this insane technology here? It's scaring me to no end!" Stefania complains, glaring at the bat-eye.

Krory looks at her with a scolding look on his normally kind face.

"Yeah yeah, I'm sorry. No swearing." Stefania says arms outstretched in defeat.

"These two people here are the new exorcists we found. The girl isn't a Noah, no worries." Allen explains to the bat-eye.

"Alright then, grant them access Gatekeeper, and don't forget to turn off the alarm, it's getting annoying." The male voice sounds again, the bat-eye flying away.

The Gatekeeper just continues to look at her cautiously but finally turns off the alarm and lets them in.

"Welcome to the Black Order…" it mumbles, obviously distrustful. They all follow Allen into the large castle.

* * *

><p>"Get away from me!" Stefania screamed, thrashing around. The second she had walked into the castle a man named Komui had his robot rush her into a room that looked like a hospital. The robot had strapped her down to a table in the middle of the room. Then, Komui had walked into the room and picked up what looked like a large saw. He was also looking like a crazed mad-scientist and laughing evilly.<p>

"I said: get the hell away from me!" She screams again.

"Now, don't make me put the sedative on you. All I'm going to do is look at your Innocence." Komui says, smiling creepily. He begins to approach Stefania when Allen, Lavi, and Krory appear in the doorway.

"Ary-kun! Stop him! A pervert's trying to kill me!" Stefania shrieks, forgetting all bad feelings towards Krory.

"He's just trying to look at your Innocence; he's not going to hurt you. Just don't fight him." Allen says, "It was kind of unnerving when he did it to me too, but he means well."

"If he wasn't going to hurt me, then why did he strap me down on a table? I don't think he needs a big freaking saw either!" She protests but settles down, flinching when Komui comes close to her, inspecting the whistle. The pain from her right arm was returning after the adrenaline from her system began to drain out.

"Could you please activate your Innocence for us, Stefania?" Komui asks, pushing his glasses up. He had set down the saw and was now too close for comfort.

_I can't activate it without touching it… dumbass. _She thought to herself, but tries to activate it anyway. Taking a deep breath, she says, "Innocence, Activate." The whistle glows a soft red from the lightning bolt, but doesn't turn into a flute. Angry that it wouldn't activate it, she repeats the command louder. "Innocence, Activate!"

The red light glows softly once more, but this time grows brighter and brighter. A few seconds after the red light appears, the large _**BOOM **_of a lightning strike comes once more. The room is quickly enveloped in smoke and the sound of electricity crackling fills the air. Once the smoke dies down, everyone is coughing. Suddenly, Lavi bursts into laughter after looking at her.

"What's so funny?" Stefania asks angrily.

"Your hair…" he manages to get out before falling on the floor, laughing. Tears begin to run down his eyes.

"What about my hair!" Stefania says angrily, trying to aim her eyes upwards to see it. Komui picks up a mirror and lifts it to her head. Stefania's scream is heard throughout the entire castle.

"MY HAIR!" she screams. The lovely, straight, locks of brown hair were now almost unrecognizable. They were charred black, and stuck out in all random directions. Electricity passed through the hair that was sticking up, frizzled.

The whistle on her necklace was still in its whistle form, the red lightning bolt glowing slightly. Scowling down at it, she says angrily, "It's all your fault, stupid Innocence."

The pain in her right arm returns with full force, causing her to gasp out. Involuntary tears begin to gather at her eyes from the pain. Lavi immediately stops laughing and everyone looks at her in concern.

"I don't think your Innocence likes to be insulted…" Allen says, looking at her worriedly.

The pain eases slightly, but persists.

"Get these restraints off me and send me to a _real_ sick bay. This is the room of a mad scientist." Stefania growls out, glaring at Komui. Komui presses a button on the wall, releasing the restraints. Krory immediately comes to Stefania's side, helping her stand up with a gentle hand.

"Are you sure you can walk there? I could carry you." Krory says, worried.

"I'm fine, Krory." She hisses, walking past him while cradling her arm. Krory stands in shock, not turning to watch her leave.

They all stand there for a minute, bewildered that she would call him by his real name.

"What's up with her?" Lavi muttered, looking at the doorway, after a few minutes of silence.

"We'd better get to her, if she gets as easily lost as Allen does, then we're in some big trouble!" Komui says, looking at Allen. Allen's eye twitches, but he runs out the door to follow her.

* * *

><p><em>Meanwhile, with Stefania…<em>

* * *

><p>Trying to pick up the remaining pieces of her pride, Stefania tries reading a map placed on the wall. She had no clue of how to read it. She cursed under her breath in frustration.<p>

"Everything looks the same here, how the hell am I supposed to follow these directions?" she mutters, a finger on the map. She was hopelessly lost and had no clue where she was going. This was made easy by the countless doors and hallways that looked exactly the _same._

"How do people do this crap?" she mutters again. Finally, she gives up trying to read the map and decides to just wander the halls. Cradling her injured arm, she walks into a random direction. After walking a few minutes, she finds some stairs. She decides to go up, deciding the darker things in life are normally at the bottom floors, including that experimentation room.

After going up what seemed like millions of steps, she makes it to what appeared to be a cafeteria. _Maybe someone there can show me the way…_ she thinks, walking in. Looking over the people eating there, which was made up of people wearing tan coats, she finds someone who had the same uniform as Lavi and Allen and approached him. The man was eating what appeared to be noodles alone. He had long blue hair placed into a high ponytail.

"Can you show me to the medical wing?" she asks.

"No." he says, not looking up from his noodles.

"Can you tell me why not?" she asks, a bit annoyed.

"No." he says again. Stefania's temper control had gone from little to absolutely nothing since she'd been introduced to exorcists, and this little prick was annoying the crap outta her without lifting a finger.

"What's your damn problem? I've had enough of you! Tell me where the medical wing is!" Stefania says angrily, pulling his ponytail, "Unless you're too stupid, baka!"

The man snaps. His hand grabs her left arm, pulling it over his shoulder, effectively flipping her over the table like a ragdoll.

"You little…" she growls, jumping up. The man continued to eat his noodles, which he had made sure she didn't hit. He continued to ignore her. Her face in a scowl, she dashes past him, grabbing the hair tie keeping his hair together. She begins to run the hell out of the cafeteria. This was as good as going to the medical wing, the adrenaline made the pain in her right arm nonexistent.

Stefania knew she was probably faster than the man. She also got a head start on him. But that didn't stop the fact that she had no clue where she was going, and he could easily block her off. She could hear the man behind her yelling angrily, but she didn't care, she was having too much fun. As she ran past the big circular hole in the ground, she glances behind her to see the man turning the corner. He was impressive; he could keep up with her. But she could always get away if she wanted too. She was just playing with him now.

She's suddenly slammed into a large, or what it feels like, wall that happened to appear in the middle of her path. Bouncing back, her feet trip over the edge of the hole and she falls down. Her right arm finds the edge and hangs on for dear life, shaken. Intense pain comes from the arm, making it so only sheer will is keeping her arm there. She stays like that for several seconds, gripping the edge tightly.

"Stefania!" she hears a voice yell. A large white arm grips her from behind and she's lifted into the air. She see's Allen, Lavi, Krory, Komui, the man she'd taken the hair tie from, and a new girl that seemed around her age.

"Hey guys…" she says weakly, smiling. She can hear her heart pump wildly as she's placed on the ground once more. The pain in her arm stands strong.

"Stefania, what exactly did you think you were doing? You could've gotten yourself killed!" Krory says angrily, placing a hand on her left shoulder and looking her hard in the face.

"I would've been perfectly fine if you weren't here. You were the reason I got knocked into the hole, remember?" she snaps back angrily, shaking the hand off. She glares at him in the eyes harshly.

"If you didn't run off like a maniac than this never would've happened!" he retorts angrily, returning the glare. Stefania is taken slightly aback, but doesn't show it. Krory was normally timid, letting Stefania do as she pleased. She never got in trouble and he certainly never yelled at her.

"It's not my fault!" she yells angrily, "It's your fault!"

"How the hell is it my fault? You're the one making these decisions, you could've killed yourself!" he snapped, actually _swearing_.

"Oh, like you don't know? You shouldn't be concerned about me considering you-," Stefania yells before being cut off by Allen.

"Stop it!" he yells. Everyone turns to him, surprised. Allen never yelled.

"Can't you see what you're doing? You're actually fighting! Shouldn't you two be ashamed? You're like brother and sister, and very close at that!" he yells, pointing a finger at Stefania and Krory.

Stefania and Krory look at each other before looking down at their feet, ashamed.

"Sorry Allen." Stefania mumbles.

"You shouldn't be apologizing to me," he says gently, "apologize to Krory."

Lifting her head, she looks at Krory and whispers, "I'm sorry, Ary-kun."

Krory smiles reassuringly, placing a hand on her shoulder, "It's alright." She gives him a soft smile.

"Alright, now that you too are back to normal, I'd like to introduce you to Lenalee and Kanda." Allen says.

"Hi, I'm Lenalee. Nice to meet you." The girl with the green pigtails says cheerfully, giving them a small wave with her hand.

"Che," the man with the long blue hair mumbles angrily, walking away. Opening Stefania's palm, she aims at the back of Kanda's head and shoots the hair tie. Kanda catches the hair tie without looking backwards and continues to walk away, much to Stefania's annoyance.

"I don't like that man…" Stefania says, "He pushes my buttons and ticks me off. At least I have a new nickname for him." She begins to grin evilly.

"Now, where's the medical ward?" she asks, "I've had enough excitement for today."

Lenalee smiles and says, "I'll show you the way, follow me."

Lenalee off into a hallway and Stefania move to follow her. Krory stops her for a moment and says, "If there's anything you need to talk about…"

"I'm fine, Ary-kun." She says, smiling reassuringly. Krory smiles softly in return and lets her go.

"I'll see you all later!" she calls, waving her left hand behind her as she turns the corner.

* * *

><p>Lenalee and Stefania arrive at the medical wing, which wasn't too far away. Stefania is immediately placed in the attention of the Head Nurse and is placed on an examination table. She fidgets in discomfort.<p>

"Hello, Stefania. You will address me as the Head Nurse." Says a woman with a stern face and a tight bun that had just walked into the room, "As long as you do not disobey my order we will get alone splendidly. Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am..," Stefania says, unnerved. The Head Nurse smiles slightly, "Don't worry. I'm not as mean as I look." Stefania smiles back.

"Now, let me inspect that arm of yours. You were given this injury by your Innocence, correct?" The Head Nurse says, gentle pulling up Stefania's sleeve.

"Yes ma'am." She confirms. After inspecting the arm for a few minutes the Head Nurse says, "Please take off your shirt,"

Without hesitating, Stefania takes off her shirt. The eyes of the Head Nurse widen slightly.

"That's a nasty burn you've got there." She says, making a few notes on a clipboard. The burns on Stefania's chest begin to throb painfully, making her flinch.

The Head Nurse notices this and begins to take out supplies from a drawer nearby and placing them on a table next to the examination table. She takes out and ointment and begins to place it on the burns around Stefania's body. The pain almost immediately begins to fade away, causing Stefania to smile and sigh in relief.

An hour later, Stefania's wounds have been treated by the Head Nurse and she's sleeping peacefully in her bed. Komui walks into the room.

"Is she alright?" he asks, eyeing the girl in the bed.

"She's most definitely _not_ alright. The burns she's been given are of the 3rd degree, possibly the 4th. I'm honestly surprised she's been able to walk and talk through the pain. I'm also surprised that the burn hasn't been infected yet, as well as that I won't have to amputate. The ointment meant for 1st and 2nd degree burns, however, lessened the pain. She's going to lose a lot of the movement in her right arm after it heals, I suspect. It'll also take months until she'll be ready to go out, if she's capable to go on missions at all!" the Head Nurse goes on, "Whatever happened, she should've been brought to me first thing. The girl either has massive amounts of self-control and will power or the burns she's been given aren't as serious as I suspected."

"Her Innocence did this to her, so I wouldn't be surprised if it lessened the pain for her as well. Although I find it interesting that an equip-type Innocence caused damage to the body." Komui says, hand on his chin in thought. "From Allen, Lavi, and Krory, I believe her Innocence is an air type. But that doesn't explain why when she tried to activate it malfunctioned and let out electricity. It also has a lightning bolt on it, so perhaps it has more than one element? What also interests me is that the Gatekeeper thought she was a Noah."

"One thing's for sure," the Head Nurse says, "she's not your average girl."

Komui nodded and continued to look at the sleeping figure.

"Definitely." he agrees.

* * *

><p>I made things more interesting by adding that dream at the beginning. I feel like I made Krory a bit too OOC, but I tried to make amends when I put in the part where he's timid. Cause he is.<p>

Anyways, hope you liked the chapter, because it was fun to write. Especially when Krory and Stefania were fighting, that was a lot more fun than it should be xD.

Anyway, see you all next time. Remember to rate & review and all that fun stuff.


	4. Settling In with a Bang

****I'm not going to lie, I procrastinated A LOT after writing about the food, but oh well. I had some trouble finishing the ending is going to be my excuse.

Thanks to **MCRDanime**, **Shaybo27**, and **Gold Phantom** for reviewing my story so far, I appreciate it!

I'll be forcing myself to write the next chapter after I post this... while listening to creepy music. You'll understand this after you finish the ending.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Victim of Fate Chapter 4 – Settling In with a Bang<strong>

A/N: This chapter is going to have lots of Romanian food in it. If you want to know what it is, go look it up. It should be spelt (or is close to) correctly. These are also some of my _favorite _Romanian foods. Enjoy!

"But… that's not possible!" the Head Nurse shrieks. She begins to pace next to the bed, muttering to herself.

"How could this have happened? Things like _that_ don't disappear overnight… did I accidentally misinterpret the severity of the burn? No, that's not possible… I'm positive that she had severe burns!" she whispers under her breath.

"Uh, Head Nurse? May I go now? I don't have any injuries anymore." Stefania asks, "You probably just underestimated your healing abilities, Head Nurse." The Head Nurse stops and glances at the girl in the bed. She indeed looked healthy enough. She had no other injuries than the burn, which was now gone.

"You may leave… but please be careful. I don't want you coming in as often as the other exorcists." The Head Nurse says reluctantly, "If something like this happens again, come to me immediately. No exceptions." Stefania nods and stands up.

"One moment, please let me inform Komui and the other exorcists. They might want to see you before you leave the ward." The Head Nurse says.

"No problem." Stefania says, smiling softly. While the Head Nurse goes to make a phone call, Stefania looks for some clean clothes. After looking for a few minutes, she finds a pink shirt and gray sweatpants that looked around her size. Putting them on, she found they fit quite well. Rummaging around the closet she finds some regular tennis shoes, and slips those on as well.

After finding a comb, she begins to brush her hair. This takes a while, but she finally manages to fix the rat's nest that occurred over the past few days. Her hair appeared to turn back from the charred black to the normal brown, even if it was a bit dull. The door behind her opens. Stefania turns to greet the others.

"How's it going?" she asks, smiling.

"We're alright. It's nice to see you up and running again, Stefania." Allen says sincerely, "We were about to head to the cafeteria to get some food when we heard you'd recovered." As if on cue, both Allen's and Stefania's stomachs growled loudly. Lavi, Krory, and Lenalee all laughed. Standing up, she walks towards the others with a hand over her belly.

"Well, let's not hang around! I'm starving!" she says, eager to get to the cafeteria. Allen leads the way, having already committed the route from the medical ward to the cafeteria by heart. Stefania was close on his heels.

"So, Ary-kun, what'cha been doing since you got here?" Stefania asks, glancing to the right to look at Krory.

"Well, I also went through the medical exam," he flinches slightly, his hand absentmindedly going to his jaw, "and then I met Hevlaska."

"Hevlaska? Who's she, another exorcist?" Stefania asks, curious.

"Of the sorts," Allen explains, "She's the guardian of all the unclaimed Innocence we have. She also can look at the synchronization rate you have with your Innocence."

"Oh, alright. When will I be meeting her?" She asks.

"We'll be going down to her chamber with Komui. If Hevlaska picks you up, don't worry. That's just her way to check your synchro rate." Allen says. _Still have no clue what the hell synchro rate is. _She thinks nervously.

"Alright… don't be afraid of Hevlaska. Got it." Stefania says, committing the information to memory. They round a corner and Allen begins to speed up. They enter the room Stefania was in the night before, except this time Kanda is absent. Allen practically skips to, what Stefania suspected was, the place where they ordered the food.

"Hey Jerry!" he says. A large black man with sunglasses and purple hair appears at the window, smiling as he sees Allen.

"Hey Allen! How's my favorite customer doing?" he practically sings out.

"I'm alright, thanks Jerry. I'd like you to meet the new exorcists, Krory and Stefania." Allen says, stepping aside so Jerry can see the two.

"Why, hello there!" he cries out, "I hope you two have as big an appetite as this Allen here! I just _love_ cooking for this boy!"

Stefania smiles, "So I heard this place has some five-star grub! I guess I came to just the right place to ease my empty stomach!" as if on cue, her stomach growls loudly.

"No problem honey, all you gotta do is tell me the foods and I can make them! So, what'll it be for you?" Jerry asks her, eyes lit up at the challenge that might be presented.

After a moment of thinking, Stefania gives her order, "I'll have some mititei, snitel, mamaliga, supa cu galuste, ciorba de perisoare, sarmale, gogosi, placinta, clatite with strawberry jam, and placinta. Got it?"

Jerry smiles and then runs into the kitchen "Got it!"

Lenalee and Lavi look at Stefania, "Do you eat like Allen?" Lavi asks, giving a knowing smile.

"What? I like food. Not my fault." Stefania says, crossing her arms and looking away.

"Done!" Jerry says, carrying 10 dishes. Stefania gapes at him.

"That fast?" she exclaims. The smell from the food is irresistible.

"He's a great cook!" Allen exclaims, licking his lips, "Jeryy, make it two of them! I want what she's having." Jerry smiles and goes back into the kitchen. Stefania makes several trips to transfer all of the food to the nearest empty table. Finally, she sits down and grabs a spoon, intending to start with the supa cu galuste, her favorite. The others join her once they get their food.

Allen appears to be starting with the ciorba de perisoarae, face puckering from the tart taste.

"It's good, eh?" Stefania says, chewing the soft dumplings the soup contained.

"Stefania, don't speak with your mouth full." Krory scolded. Stefania just rolled her eyes.

"It's great! I can't wait to try some of the other stuff." Allen says, eyeing the other foods.

"I recommend the mamaliga with that soup. Just plop it straight it, adds flavor." Stefania says after finishing her soup. Allen does that and continues eating. His face shows that it does, indeed, make it more flavorful.

"So, where'd Kanda go?" Stefania asks once she started on the snitel.

"He went on a mission. He should be back soon." Lenalee says, taking a sip of her water. Komui prances into to the room.

"Now now, Stefania, it's time for us to go! You should hurry up! We can't leave the Great Generals to wait!" he says, smiling at Lenalee, "How have you been, my beloved sister? Have they been treating you right?"

"They've been fine. You should worry a bit more about Stefania and Krory really, since they're the new ones here!" Lenalee says, looking apologetically at Krory and Lenalee.

"Oh no, we're fine!" Stefania insists, "I'll be done in a few minutes, you can wait here if you want."

Suddenly, Komui gives Stefania a great big bear hug, "Have they been treating you alright? If one of them laid a finger on you, I'll kill them!" he says, strangling the girl.

"Komui," Stefania says in a warning tone, "I don't need your help. Get. Off." Komui immediately releases her, but not before going behind Lenalee and giving her a big hug, fake tears going down his face.

"She doesn't like me! What did I do wrong?" he cries.

"Is he alright?" Stefania whispers to Allen, hand covering her mouth.

"He's fine. I'd be more concerned if he wasn't like this." He whispers back. A few minutes later, both Allen and Stefania finish their food.

"All right, chop chop! Time to move it move it to Hevlaska's chamber!" Komui says, marching out of the room, the others following him.

* * *

><p><em>Alright… don't be afraid of the big, ghost-like woman who appears to have thick strands of snake hair coming from her eyes and is trying to pick me up. No problem… <em>Stefania thinks nervously as Hevlaska's tendrils come closer and closer to her. She can't help but give out a small shriek when Hevlaska picks her up and brings her close. Her whistle begins to glow gently and float a few inches above its place on her neck.

Stefania immediately feels calm once Hevlaska touches their foreheads together.

"Two percent… Sixteen percent… Twenty-two percent... Forty-six percent… Sixty-four percent… Eighty-seven percent… Ninety-five percent…" Hevlaska stops and leans back, "Ninety-five percent is the maximum synchro rate you have with your Innocence."

"What happens if you get your synchro rate above one hundred percent?" Stefania asks, curious, as Hevlaska sets her down.

"A point-breaker occurs. You gain new abilities and can become a General." Hevlaska explains.

Allen places a hand on Stefania's shoulder, "You have a great synchro rate, Stefania." He says, smiling his smile.

"Thanks!" Stefania says, smiling back, "Although I'm pretty sure the only reason I have a high synchro rate is because of the fact my Anti-Akuma weapon is a musical instrument. It's easy to express emotion and desires with it, so my Innocence can easily understand what I want."

Komui eyes her curiously as she continues to talk amongst the others and they head back up.

_Once more, she shows that she knows a lot more than she lets on. She occasionally says something that would come from the mouth of someone as experienced as I am, yet she's only fourteen._ He thinks. _What exactly could this mean?_

He frowns but shrugs it off. _That'll be revealed in all due time._

* * *

><p>"But Allen… I'm starving! I <em>need<em> to go eat something or else I'm going to die!" Stefania complains as Allen leads her away from the cafeteria.

"Please don't go in! They're still renovating the cafeteria and I don't want you to get sick from the fumes…" Allen lies. He's never been good at lying, so she could tell that's an obvious lie.

"Ugh, whatever." Stefania says, waving her hand in dismissal, "I'm going back to bed. I don't see why you exorcists wake up at ungodly hours." She begins to head towards her room when Allen begins to follow her.

"Do you mind if I come, too?" Allen asks a bit nervously, "I just want to talk to you in private."

"Sure, I don't mind. But you'd better be careful. If Komui ever found out…" Stefania chuckles, "You'd be screwed." He lightens up a bit, giving her his signature smile. Her heart skips a quick beat, making her mentally slap herself. They walk in silence until they reach her room.

"Well, we're here!" Stefania says, opening the door, "Mi casa es tu casa!" inside was the standard sized room for an exorcist. The only thing that really differed from a different room was the vast amount of books and papers littered around the room, not looking much too different from Bookman and Lavi's room.

"So, what's up?" she asks, plopping down at an open space on her book-infested bed.

"Well… I just had a few questions. My first question is…" Allen gulps nervously, "How did you know about Akuma and Innocence when we didn't tell you a thing?"

"… really?" Stefania says, a bit shocked, "I suppose… the first time I woke up on the train… I knew about Akuma and Innocence. Don't ask me where or how, because I'm just noticing the same thing."

_What could I have possibly dreamt that gave me that kind of knowledge? _Stefania wonders, hand cupping her chin thoughtfully.

Allen looks curiously up at her, "That's strange." He says after a moment.

We sit in silence as we both ponder deeply. A few minutes later, he speaks up again.

"Are you alright?" Allen asks worriedly. Stefania looks up, surprised once more.

"I'm fine!" she snaps, "Why would you ask such a stupid question?" Stefania glares daggers.

"No, it's just, you seem to be on a short fuse lately!" he says, holding his hands out in protest, "You also seem to be a lot darker when you get angry."

"Doesn't everyone?" Stefania says a bit confused.

"Well… yes but…" Allen stammered out, unsure why he was this nervous, "I guess I'm worried about you is all."

A frown settled on her face as her left eyebrow quirked upwards.

"I don't need to be worried about," she says quietly before continuing in a louder voice, "Ary-kun and Komui worry enough for all of you."

"I understand, but you know I can't help it." He says a bit sheepishly, "I mean, you've only been here a few days and all!"

"I'll be fine, Allen." She says in a comforting tone, "I'll be fine if you let me get some sleep!" she smiles a brilliant white smile, making Allen stand up.

"That's right!" Allen stammers out, heading for the door, "I'll just leave you to sleep. I'll see you later."

"I'll see ya later, Allen." Stefania says, giving him a smile and a wave. Allen rushes out the door.

Stefania shrugs at his strange behavior and then lies down on her pillow, falling asleep instantly.

* * *

><p>She nearly jumps several feet in the air when she's abruptly woken from her nap by a loud banging sound. Opening her eyes, she discovers it's because Ary-kun had slammed the door open. "Ary-kun! What do you think you're doing?" she growls angrily, "I was taking a nap when you-,"<p>

She stops herself when she sees the desperate look on Ary-kun's face. He's also panting like a dog, signifying that he had to run here.

"What's wrong?" Stefania asks, suddenly worried.

"It's Allen!" he gasps out, "He's in the medical ward now."

Stefania's eyes widen as she looks at Ary-kun, completely terrified. She immediately jumps out of the bed, rushing past Ary-kun in a heartbeat.

She sprints past all of the surprised science officers and finders, going directly towards the medical ward.

What terrifies her most is that the closer to the medical ward she gets, the louder the sound of his screams meets her ears.

* * *

><p>Go creepy endings!<p>

Anyway, hope you enjoyed that chapter!

I'll see you all next time.


	5. Imminent Prophecy

Alright, I feel awful. I promised myself I would finish and upload this during the week. Of course, my procrastinating mind does not agree with me.

I'm also going to be changing the _ adventure_ part of the genre into something different since I honestly expected there to be more adventures at the beginning, but there aren't. You'll see what it is now, so I won't post it here.

Everyone that so kindly reviewed the last chapter, thank you! Also, since I bring up the thought of her uniform in this chapter, I wanted to see if someone could make or give possible suggestions on what it should look like! That would be cool, eh? I'll give a quick character description at the bottom, if I put it up here it'll make it feel too clunky up here.

I would like to have this before starting my next chapter, because I feel like I should reveal it then. You can send the pictures via email, sent by pm, or send me a link to your deviantart or whatever site you use. It seems I am only capable of updating once a week. Should I continue updating on Fridays/Saturdays or would you guys prefer twice a week or something? I'd like some feedback here!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the newest chapter of Victim of Fate!

* * *

><p><strong>Victim of Fate Chapter 5 – Imminent Prophecies <strong>

_**Last time on Victim of Fate…**_

She nearly jumps several feet in the air when she's abruptly woken from her nap by a loud banging sound. Opening her eyes, she discovers it's because Ary-kun had slammed the door open. "Ary-kun! What do you think you're doing?" she growls angrily, "I was taking a nap when you-,"

She stops herself when she sees the desperate look on Ary-kun's face. He's also panting like a dog, signifying that he had to run here.

"What's wrong?" Stefania asks, suddenly worried.

"It's Allen!" he gasps out, "He's in the medical ward now."

* * *

><p>Stefania's eyes widen as she looks at Ary-kun, completely terrified. She immediately jumps out of the bed, rushing past Ary-kun in a heartbeat.<p>

She sprints past all of the surprised science officers and finders, going directly towards the medical ward.

What terrifies her most is that the closer to the medical ward she gets, the louder the sound of his screams meets her ears.

Stefania could hear Ary-kun running behind her, apologizing to the people she plowed into and knocked over, but the sound was distant. The protest whenever she ran into someone was lost to her ears, going in one and out the other. The only thing she could hear was the god awful scream that was originating from the medical ward. It was impossible to get lost with something as clear as that. Her eyes scan the numerous doors that she passes, checking each one to see if it was the medical ward. Finally, she heard the yelling come from the door.

She plows through it, a blur of movement that rushes through the door. She sees the crowd of people that she vaguely recognizes as Komui, Lenalee, Lavi, and Kanda, as well as the Head Nurse. Kanda and Lavi were trying to hold down his arms and legs that thrashed with unimaginable strength as he screamed. Lenalee was crying as she saw her friend in such pain, with Komui trying to comfort her by placing a hand on her shoulder, looking serious for once.

"Allen? Allen!" she cries, rushing to his free side, "What's wrong with him?"

"We think his eye is reacting to something, but we don't know what." Komui answers after a few moments, "We have no clue, since Allen isn't responding to us."

"Quickly, we must sedate him before he gets himself or someone else hurt!" the Head Nurse orders, authority in her voice. Several nurses rush into the room with several different sets of needles.

"Kanda, Lavi, try to keep his arms and legs still until we place restraints on them!" the Head Nurse commands, both of them nodding and putting more strength into their efforts, "The rest of you, go outside. Komui, I will inform you when he settles down."

"I'm not leaving this room." Stefania says in a tone that said she wouldn't take no for an answer. She glares into the Head Nurses eyes for a moment before the Head Nurse turns away.

"Alright then, I suppose you can play that flute of yours. Try to see if you can calm him down with it." The Head Nurse orders, pushing Komui and Lenalee out the door. As the others work diligently, Stefania sits on the windowsill next to his bed, far enough away that she wouldn't disturb the people rushing and crowding around hid bed. She sits there, watching Allen being restrained to the bed successfully. She gets an idea, out of the blue. Instead of activating her Innocence, she places her hands in her lap.

Stefania looks at Allen with her soft and calm blue eyes. She begins to hum a lullaby (Long, Long Time Ago by Javier Navarrete, or more commonly known as, Pan's Labyrinth Lullaby) instead. The sound begins soft, barely audible over the commotion of the room. Allen, however, hears the soft sound. He immediately stops his thrashing and cocks his head towards Stefania, one hand still covering his left eye. She continues to hum the song, gradually adding to the sound with each round.

Allen was now restrained, although his left arm was left to freely cover his eye. His right eye, though glazed over, was focused directly on Stefania. The sound in the room gradually disappears. The nurses had injected Allen with the sedative, though it wasn't needed. Kanda and Lavi were on the other side of Allen's bed, keeping guard. Stefania continued to hum the song, eyes closing and leaning against the cool window. The moonlight shone around her small figure, making her look at like an angel.

The Head Nurse came back in with Krory, Komui, and Lenalee, who all rush forwards. They're all about to burst with all of the questions they have, but are immediately stopped by Stefania's singing, even though it was only a hum.

The song had an otherworldly quality of it. Their minds supplied the perfect accompaniment of music, coming seemingly from nowhere. Allen continued to watch Stefania with his un-connected gaze. Slowly, he lets his hand fall from his left eye. Underneath laid an eye not the stormiest-gray, but a deep, beautiful gold. Falling from that eye were long, overflowing tears.

Stefania opens her eyes, continuing to hum. Her eyes are too, beginning to turn into the beautiful gold that adorned his left eye, even if it was just a speck of amber in her light blue eyes. Her eyes lock onto Allen, completely ignoring the arrival of the others in the room.

"Stefania, please stop humming." Lenalee said nervously, taking a small step forwards, an arm outstretched in front of her. Stefania blinks several times, hearing Lenalee's voice quaver. She looks at them and gives them a small smile.

"Hey." She says in a drowsy voice, her eyelids drooping low. She attempts to stand up, hand on the cold stone wall. Krory immediately goes to her side, supporting her himself.

"Stefania," he says worried, "Are you alright?"

"Mmm?" she says, eyes fluttering open for a moment before closing against and murmuring quietly, " 'course I am, Ary-kun. Just… a bit sleepy…" with a big yawn she settles into his chest, making it her warm new pillow and smiling as she falls asleep.

The Head Nurse immediately goes into action, ordering Krory to set her on the bed beside Allen's. Allen's eye had returned to normal, allowing him to peacefully fall asleep with a contented smile on his face.

"She'll be alright, right?" Krory asks nervously, setting her down on the bed gently. The Head Nurse merely scoffs.

"She's merely exhausted from using whatever… power… she was using there." She says, looking down at the sleeping figure.

"And Allen?" Lenalee asks worriedly, but relieved that Stefania was going to be fine. The Head Nurse walks up to Lenalee and pats her cheek.

"Don't you worry about Allen, Lenalee." She says, smiling gently at her, "He'll be fine." Lenalee smiles back weakly.

"I'd suggest not speaking about this… incident with anyone else." Komui says, putting his arms around Lenalee and heading towards the door, "Also, I wouldn't recommend telling either of them about this."

"Che." Kanda says, uncrossing his arms and heading towards the door, "Moyashi and Fanny can take care of themselves." Krory's eye began to twitch at the sound of Kanda's new nickname for Stefania. Lavi smiles widely at the thought of what she'd do once she heard him call her that.

They all leave until it's just Lavi and Krory in the room, Lavi leaning against the wall in-between their beds and Krory in a small chair next to Stefania's bed, smiling gently at her small figure.

"So, what'dya gonna tell bozu once she wakes up, Vamps?" Lavi asks a smirk on his face. Krory's face paled even more as he began to stutter uncertainly.

"I…" he says, nervous hands beginning to pull on his cloak, "I've no clue what I'm going to tell her. I've never told her anything I didn't think she'd be able to handle…" Lavi's smirk falls into a neutral flat lip.

"She's an exorcist now, Vamps." He says, crossing his arms, "She can't be sheltered by you forever, you know. When you're telling her about this… you might want to tell her about other thinks that you thought she wouldn't be able to handle." Krory looks at Lavi with wide eyes for a moment before turning away, not able to take the deep look in his single green eye.

"I'm… not sure where to start." Krory whispers, looking down at the hands now clutching his legs, "What would she do once she found out that I've been keeping so much from her? I can't bear myself with the thought she might…" Krory's eyes shut, as if trying to block out some mental pain.

"That's just a risk you'll have to take." Lavi says, walking over to a different chair in the room and sitting down.

"Now, if you don't mind, I'll be sleeping 'till Allen wakes up." Lavi says, holding his head up with a fist leaning on the chair, "No drinking from me tonight, Vamps." He grins widely at his joke before falling to sleep.

Krory finds the courage to look back at Stefania, smiling sadly.

"What am I going to do with you, Stefania?"

* * *

><p>"Oh BOZU-CHAN~!" a voice sang out loudly next to her ear. Stefania twitched.<p>

"I know you're awake, bozu-chan!" he called out again, poking her shoulder.

"Get the hell away from me…" Stefania growled irritably, placing the pillow over her head trying to block out the incessant noise.

"But, bozu-chan! Don't you love me?" the voice cried out, sounding hurt. A loud wail comes from her left-side, causing her to snap.

"Just SHUT UP!" she yells, sitting up and throwing the pillow at the sound, hard. The pillow comes back a second later, hitting her straight in the face just as hard. Stefania's eye begins to twitch.

"That wasn't nice, bozu-chan!" Lavi whines, pouting.

"My name isn't bozu-chan!" she growls, scowling at the happy red-head. She blinks around in confusion when she notices her surroundings. Then she begins to chuckle softly.

"Eh? What's so funny, bozu-chan?" Lavi asks, leaning towards her in expectation of a joke.

"Must've been one hellofa party if I can't remember anything!" she says, smiling wide. Lavi continues his happy mood without skipping a beat.

"'Course it was, bozu-chan! But don't think you can't remember anything 'cause we gave you alcohol!" he says, smiling, "We had a bit of fun with you last night!" Stefania's smile fades, replaced with a horror-stricken face.

"Nani?" she shrieks, expecting the worst, "What'd you do to me?" Lavi smiles mischievously

"Nothing at all… bozu-chan…" he says, smiling happily, "We had some fun with Allen too!" he jerks his thumb over his shoulder at the sleeping figure there.

"I'm surprised your yelling hasn't woke him up yet, bozu-chan!" he says, grinning. A sweat drop appears on her face, her eyes growing wide.

"Jeez! Why didn't you tell me he was in here, baka?" she whispers with an intensity in her voice, "You've seen how he is when he wakes up hungry!" she shudders at the all-too-recent memory. Lavi smiles once more, heading towards the door.

"I'll tell Ary-kun you're back!" he says, adopting his nickname, "He'll be happy to have a few words with you." Stefania's face pales at the thought. She gives a weak smile, what could he possibly do? It's only happened a few times, but whenever Krory _really_ gets angry at her, he actually begins to _yell. _The timid man was _nowhere near_ capable of yelling at his little angel.

Standing up, Stefania runs to the closet to find some clothes and heads to the bathroom, determined to tidy herself up before Krory came back. After spending a few minutes in the bathroom, she feels refreshed and exits it fully-clothed. She freezes she sees Allen awake and sitting up, rubbing his eye tiredly.

"Allen!" she cries, smiling happily, "Glad you're not dead." He stops and cocks a suspicious eyebrow at her

"Why would I be dead again, Stefania?" he asks, smiling. Allen, however, remembered everything from last night in excruciating detail.

"Well, Lavi said they had "fun" with us at the party last night." She says chuckling nervously while scratching the back of her head, "I hope you can remember anything, because I sure can't."

"Oh, it's a blank for me too." He lies, hesitating for a moment. She shows no signs that she saw the lie. He sat there awkwardly, not sure what to do, when he was saved by his loud stomach. Crossing his arms over his stomach, he grins sheepishly.

"Mind accompanying me for some lunch?" he asks. Stefania immediately brightens, smiling back at him.

"Sure, I'll meet you down at the cafeteria while you get dressed." She says, running out of the room happily, "I'll tell Jerry you're coming!"

He smiles and waves as she runs out of the room, leaning against the headboard of the bed once she's out of sight. He places a tentative hand over his left eye, grimacing at the memory.

* * *

><p><em>He had been walking down the hallway, going towards the cafeteria to help set up Stefania's &amp; Krory's welcoming party when the pain hit him. He was caught unaware, one moment happily whistling, the next gasping and falling to his knees from the pain.<em>

'_Why… does it hurt… so much?' he thought as screams begin to tear themselves from his throat, running it raw. Lavi and Kanda had been the ones closest to him and the ones to take him to the medical ward. He kept trying to get out of their grip, trying to get to his eye which burned so painfully. He did this instinctively, not meaning to put so much strength into his punches and kicks. This went on for some time before he heard _her.

_He had blocked all vision from both of his eyes in an attempt to stop the pain, his hand over his cursed eye. He opened his other eye, everything blurry and out of focus from the pain, except for one figure. His struggles immediately ceased as he heard her song. It immediately brought blissful relief to his pained eye, calming him down. There was only one thought on his mind at the time. One thought, that frightened him dearly, for he was sure it was not his own. The thought was mixed with anger, disbelief, and complete relief, for some strange reason._

_She has come to rid me of my sins. **Lale** has come._

Sighing, Allen sits up and begins to get ready to join Stefania at the cafeteria.

* * *

><p>"Good mornin' Ary-kun!" Stefania said cheerfully as she passed him in the cafeteria, flashing him a smile. Walking up to Jerry, she orders for both herself and Allen, guessing what he might like by the choice of food he normally gets.<p>

"Why, Stefania! You are positively glowing today!" Jerry exclaimed as he made the food in the kitchen, "You couldn't have caught yourself a man, now could you?" Stefania immediately blushed.

"Of course not!" she stammers out, crossing her arms and looking away.

"Oh come on, we're both friends here!" Jerry says, handing her a dish and giving her a wink, "You can tell me anything!" She takes the dish and leaves, sending Jerry an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, it's nothing of the sort." She says over her shoulder, placing the dishes down on the usual table. Krory, Lavi, and Lenalee were already at the table, eating. She begins to dig in but not before noticing that Krory won't meet her eye, Lavi appeared to continuously look at her from the corner of his good eye (which was especially difficult, since his good eye was on the wrong side), and Lenalee kept shooting her anxious glances.

"So, bozu-chan, how's it been?" Lavi asked cheerfully, taking a sip of his water. Stefania smiles with her mouth closer, continuing to chew her food.

"Not bad, although I saw you not even an hour ago." She says once she finishes the food in her mouth.

"So, Ary-kun, how did you like the party last night?" Stefania asked cheerfully, putting another piece of food in her mouth. Krory looked at her for a moment before looking away.

"Huh? Oh yeah." He says, stumbling over his words nervously, "The party. It was nice. Did you enjoy the party as well?"

"I suppose I did, I can't really remember anything though." She says sheepishly, wiping her mouth on a napkin. Her mood immediately brightens up again when Allen walks into the room.

"Allen! She ordered you're food, it's already to go!" Jerry calls out, waving his arm out the order window. Allen gives Jerry a smile and a nod and heads to his table, taking a seat next to Stefania.

"Hey! Nice to see you're awake, sleeping beauty!" Lavi says, giving Stefania a wink. Allen ignores him and goes straight into the food before his stomach can growl loudly once more.

"So, Lenalee, what did you do at the party?" Stefania casually questions Lenalee, not looking up from her food. Lenalee takes a sip from her water, gathering her thoughts.

"I, um, was with onii-chan, the, uh, entire time." Lenalee says, stumbling over her words as well. Stefania looks up and pouts, not noticing her messed up sentence.

"What a bore!" she exclaims, "You're never going to be able to do anything fun with him on your back all the time." Lenalee smiles nervously.

"I suppose so, but I'm kind of glad onii-chan is next to me all the time." Lenalee says timidly, "It's nice." Stefania blinks at her several times before shrugging nonchalantly and returning to her task of eating food. She couldn't shrug the feeling that something was wrong, but she was in too good a mood for it to really matter.

"So, Moyashi and Fanny are finally awake." Kanda exclaims as he walks in the room. Stefania's mood automatically plunges. She and Allen automatically turn to face him, identical scowls on their faces, as he orders his Soba noodles.

"Did you just call me what I think you called me?" Stefania asks, a dangerous glint in her blue eyes. They begin to twitch angrily.

"Good mood's gone." Lavi exclaims, continuing to smile as he enjoys the entertainment playing in front of him.

"And if I did, Fanny?" Kanda asks as he passes by her with his Soba noodles in-hand. Stefania's eyes narrow and her lips turn upwards into a smirk. With lightning fast speed and precision, (Totally unintentional pun, didn't notice this until I re-read the story through ^-^) Stefania knocks the Soba noodles out of his hands, holding it away from him in her arms. She jumps away before Kanda can take out Mugen and slice her open.

Her own food forgotten, she stands on the opposite side of the table from Kanda, holding out the perfect noodles mockingly.

"I think someone has gotten slow~!" Stefania sing-songs, a wide grin on her face. Kanda gives her a death glare, turning to face her slowly. He slowly unsheathes Mugen, causing Stefania to gulp nervously.

"The only person who's slow is you, Fanny." He says, leaping towards her quickly. She manages to dodge Mugen, running out of its path. Grinning from ear to ear, Stefania begins to run around the room, constantly being chased by Kanda and his Mugen. Not one noodle shifts in its plate and Mugen never came close to her as she ran ahead with ease.

"Are you sure about that, Yuu?" Stefania jeers, using his detested first-name which only angers him further. Stefania goes as far as to run backwards, balancing the plate of noodles on her head and making the childish, "nah nah nah nah nah!" face, tongue out.

"Oof!" Stefania puffs out as she slams into another small body, knocking them both over. The plate shatters and noodles fly everywhere.

"Oh!" Stefania exclaims, blushing in the questionable position they fell in, "I'm so sorry…" She jumps off of him, helping him up with a hand.

"Johnny… Johnny Gill." The boy says, blushing a bright red, taking the hand. Stefania feels a hand grip her shoulder, making her freeze.

"You do that again, Fanny… I will kill you." Kanda says coldly, giving her another death glare before sheathing Mugen. Stefania gulps and nods her understanding. Kanda gets another plate of Soba noodles, settling down at an empty nearby table. Stefania sighs in relief and returns to the table, Johnny following her.

"So, Johnny, what'dya need?" Stefania asks, noticing that he's following. Johnny blushes madly once more, taking out a tape measure.

"I came here to make measurements for your uniform, Stefania-san." Johnny says timidly, grateful for his circled glasses. Stefania smiles.

"No need to give any honorifics. It's just Stefania, got it?" she says. Johnny nods.

"I'll go with you to get my measurements taken right now!" Stefania says, jumping up and beginning to walk out of the room.

"I'll see you all later!" she gives a wave over her shoulder while Johnny runs to catch up, following her like a lost puppy.

"She really doesn't remember, does she?" Lenalee whispers, watching as they walked away, "She thinks we had fun at a… party last night."

"Well, there's nothing we can do to change that issue!" Lavi says cheerfully, "Besides, I had some fun messing with her!"

Allen merely watched as she left, astonished by the fact she acted that _childish_.

"Is she normally like that after being woken up rudely?" Allen asks, turning towards Krory. He shakes his head.

"She's crabby for the entire day if she's woken up like how Lavi did." He says, casting a worried glance towards the door she went through, "I don't see how she could be this… happy. When she is happy, however, it's like she's ten years old again."

"Ten? More like six years old!" Lavi snorted.

"She was happiest when she was ten years old." Krory said, standing up and walking out of the room to avoid further conversation.

* * *

><p><em>Later the previous night…<em>

"Komui!" her voice rang out in the cavernous room.

"What have you sensed, Hevlaska?" Komui asks, looking at Hevlaska bit worriedly.

"She will grow strong, far stronger than any other. Her power will course through her veins, making her nearly impossible to defeat. She is her and yet she is not. Darkness will tempt her at every turn. She must be led to the end to reach her full potential; she cannot do this without others." Hevlaska cries out ominously, "She will betray her family. She will make or break our world. She can be an ally or a dangerous enemy. She must choose before one or the other consumes her completely!"

"Who is it? Could it be Stefania?" Komui asks.

"It will be someone named _**Lale**._ I warn you, this prophecy is quickly coming true." Hevlaska says, "I am sorry, I cannot give more."

* * *

><p><strong>First Name:<strong> Stefania

**Last Name:** Not Yet Revealed (Soon. Very Soon. As in two chapters soon.)

**Height:** 5' 3' (Wanted to make her shorter than poor Moyoshi :3)

**Hair Color:** Chocolate Brown

**Eye Color:** Light Teal (Just google it or something, don't really care)

**Weapon of Choice:** Flute. Bright White/Silver Color. Same color lightning bolt as her eyes on the side. One foot long.

**Armour of Choice:** White Cloak (Chapter 2, for those who don't remember). Similar to Allen's with the soft white color and white feathery fringe. Lightning bolt on the back, same color as her eyes. I feel like the cloak should feel more like royalty than a jester. Like a mighty noble's cloak that says, "Hey, you! Yes you! Kneel before me and do as I wish!" Kinda like a princessy type thing, or a dress! I would also accept a dress, and now that i'm thinking about it, a dress would be nice. If you still want the cloak, you can make the dress _under_ the cloak! Problem solved.

**Combat Shoes:** Those white ballerina slippers with the strips of white clothes crisscrossing up the leg! Don't know their name, but it could look amazing with this! Make sure it goes up at least the mid-thigh.

**Normal Shoes:** Sneakers, don't care what color, try to make it clever ;)

**Uniform:** NO CLUE! Again, I kind of want an air of royalty. Try to make her look like she's nice, innocent, things like that. Try working from Lenalee's outfit and than making her look more childlike, remember the Innocence people! Personally, I think pants are better than skirts for her, even though I keep stressing the Innocence card on you T_T.

Am I giving too many preferences? Since technically, you guys have to put some imagination into this! Anyway, happy drawing! I probably wont update until I _hopefully_ have a few more, but if no one really sends any after a long while i'll just have to continue nevertheless...


	6. Lavi's Death Sentence

****Yeah, I know I know. It's a filler chapter, but what am I supposed to do? Besides, I had a great time writing this one! You'll see why later.

Also, i'm very proud of myself. It's 2/2/12 today. It's only been five days since the last time I updated. *victory fist-pump* Sadly, might not be able to update as often as per five days. Either for my procrastination skills or family issues at home. Probably the first one, though.

**Shaybo27: **Jeez, even I don't know who she's going to betray. The plot bunnies for the future have yet to arrive, but i'll be thinking more carefully about my actions until then, so I don't contradict myself or something :P

* * *

><p><strong>Victim of Fate Chapter 6 – Lavi's Death Sentence<strong>

"_This is ridiculous. Sitting down and going 'ooommmm' all day is not going to help me,"_ Stefania thought as she sat cross-legged to the right of Lenalee.

"Why exactly do I have to meditate again? I feel silly." Stefania whispers to Lenalee meditating. Lenalee cracks open an eye, peering at Stefania.

"Do you want to learn the name of your Innocence or not?" she asks, closing her eyes again. Stefania groans and closes her eyes, copying Lenalee's moves.

"_It's not going to work…_" she continued to think, frowning.

"Clear your mind." Lenalee says after a few minutes of Stefania making angry growls and grunts of displeasure, "It's not going to work if you make yourself believe it won't work." Stefania grunts again, eyebrow twitching above her closed eyes. She tries to clear her mind, which feels like it takes hours. Stefania's breathing slows down, allowing her to hear her heart thump slower and slower. Finally, she feels calmer than she's felt in days.

Poking around in the depths of her mind, she imagines her Innocence. She imagines the weight of the Innocence, the feeling of it in her hands, the sound it makes when she plays it, the power coursing through her as it does her will. She imagines the sleek silver sides with the teal lightning bolt. The flute appears in front of her. She reaches out, grabbing the flute and bringing it close to examine.

Stefania had no clue how she was supposed to find the name of her Innocence, so she did what any normal person would do when wanting to know someone's name. She asked her flute.

"Um, flute?" she says, feeling ridiculous, "What's your name?" The flute's lightning bolt grew bright, making her squint to look at it. Nothing came to her, however.

"Hey, flute!" she says, growing angry, "I asked you, what's your name?" Her eyes widened as she thought she heard whispers come to her.

_Pure Flute of God… Pure Lightning Bolt of God… Pure Song of God… _

"You've gotta settle on one, Innocence." Stefania says, smirking. The whispers cease for a long while, the silence stretching out around her. Finally, the name comes to her.

_Flute of Pure Calamity_

Her eyes fly open, a gasp escaping from her lips. Lenalee opens her eyes and looks at her worriedly.

"Did you find out what your Innocent's name is?" Lenalee asks. Stefania grabs hold of the whistle at her neck, activating it to turn back into the flute, not answering her. The beautiful flute that had once given her a happy feeling by just looking at it had turned into something much more sinister. The bolt gave off a wave a blue light before growing dark once more. Stefania frowns and returns the flute back to its whistle form, placing it back to her neck.

"Yep, no worries," Stefania says, regaining her composure and standing up, "I'll see you later." She walks out of the room before Lenalee can ask any more questions. Stefania stalks down to the training room where she knew the others would be at.

* * *

><p>Allen had been training with Kanda for nearly four hours now, non-stop. It looked as if Kanda hadn't broken a sweat and only had several small cuts while Allen looked like a human punching bag that was way past its prime. Kanda continued to train him hard, forcing him to remember the most important lesson anyone in the Black Order has to know; how to dodge Mugen.<p>

A grunt escaped his lips when Kanda knocked him flat on his back in one swift movement.

"Is that all you've got, _Moyashi?_" Kanda taunts, a smirk on his face. Allen jumps up, dodging yet another slash of Mugen. They continue the process, Allen gaining several more bruises. Allen dodges Kanda's thrust of Mugen, jumping to the right. He sees an opening! He spins mid-air, aiming his foot at the back of Kanda's leg. He's almost there, it's so close!

"Allen!" Stefania yells, slamming the door open with a loud _**BANG**_, "I've gotta talk to you!" Allen loses concentration, allowing Kanda to easily knock him down.

"Baka Moyashi, letting Fanny distract you." Kanda scolds angrily, placing his boot on Allen's chest and stomping it twice to let it sink in.

"Bakanda…" Allen growls, trying to take the boot off his chest.

"OI! Kanda!" Stefania yells, walking towards the two of them, "I need him _alive_ if you don't mind." Kanda shifts his face to look at her, scowling. After staring each other down, Kanda gives an exasperated huff and sheathes Mugen, walking out of the room. Allen rubs his chest where Kanda's boot abused him.

"Thanks for the help." He says, sitting up and wincing at the pain, "So, what did you want to talk to me about, Stefania?" Stefania immediately breaks the eye-contact and staring down at the floor, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze.

"Well…" she starts nervously.

"It's alright, Stefania." Allen says, giving her a sheepish smile, "You can talk to me about anything." Stefania's cheeks immediately turn a soft pink.

"Well…" she starts again, "I figured I would tell…" she stops for a moment before smiling at him happily, looking at him.

"I figured I would ask you if you wanted to grab some lunch together!" she asks a bit too cheerfully. Allen notices this, but smiles anyway.

"That'd be nice." He says, smiling back at her. They walk out of the training room together, discussing several different choices for lunch when they pass Lavi.

"Allen! Bozu! So nice to see you!" he says cheerfully, smiling ear to ear. He falls in step with them.

"Hey Lavi." They answer simultaneously, gazing at each other afterwards. Stefania drops her gaze immediately, a small blush forming on her cheeks once more.

"Ah! Young love!" Lavi says, placing a hand on his heart and faking a swoon, "Such a lovely sight to see!" Before either of them could protest, however, a large boom was heard from behind them. They turn, startled at the sound, to find a large robot with a very mad looking Komui on its head.

"You will not touch my little Stefania!" he cries, pointing at Allen, "Sir Komlin IX (9th) will make sure of this! Go, my baby!" Allen's eyes grow wide at this and he immediately begins to wave his arms in protest, his voice a few octaves too high.

"No! It's nothing!" he squeaks before turning and dashing away, "Please don't hurt me!" The robot begins to run after Allen, a very insane looking Komui laughing and pointing evilly after him.

"Go, Sir Komlin IX!" They turn a corner, Allen's shrieks growing fainter. Stefania stands there very confused.

"What just happened?" she asks, dumbfounded.

"Another one of Komui's crazy inventions, my dear bozu." He says, smiling at her, "We should go save Allen before Komlin IX shaves off his head." A very sickening image comes into her mind of Allen bald. She winces and dashes off in Allen's direction with Lavi close at her heels.

* * *

><p>"Jerry!" Allen screamed, jumping through the ordering window, "Don't let Komlin IX kill me!" Jerry blinks from his place at the stove.<p>

"Komui is up to his tricks again, huh?" he asks, chuckling, "You can hide here all you want; my favorite customer can do this anytime!" Allen hides behind the fridge, which was rather large, when Komui pokes his head in the window, peering around suspiciously.

"Where is he? I know he's in here, Jerry!" Komui says, "I'll send in Komlin if you don't hand him over!" Jerry freezes in the middle of flipping a burger, causing the meat to fly to the floor. He stands there for a few moments, completely silent.

"Jerry?" Komui asks worriedly. Jerry turns slowly, his face was ********* ** ****. *** **** ****** **** * ***** ******* ** ** ****** ******* **** ******* ****. (Sadly, whenever someone read this part, other than me, they either died a horrible dead or disintegrated into ashes on sight. His facial expression is that deadly. I have decided to take pity on my viewers and blacked it out for your own safety. I'm so sorry for the inconvenience.)

Komui shrieks like a girl, jumping onto Komlin.

"I'm so sorry so sorry so sorry, don't hurt me!" Komui screams, running away with Komlin, tears streaming down his face, "I didn't mean it! Honest!" Allen peeked out, wondering what Jerry could've done that scared Komui so much, but Jerry was happily flipping burgers, whistling a happy tune. Could it be that… even Jerry had a dark side? Allen shuddered at the thought.

"Allen!" a familiar voice calls, "Where'd he go?"

"I think he's fine, or else Komui wouldn't have been crying that hard!" Lavi joked.

"Over here!" Allen calls out, jumping back out the window, "Jerry managed to save me from Komui. Thanks a lot, Jerry!"

"Anytime!" Jerry says, smiling and waving, "Anyway, what'dya want to eat today?" She gives him a quick order consisting of different Italian foods like pasta, then walking back to the table with Lavi and Allen.

"Allen, how long had you been training with Kanda before I interrupted?" Stefania asks, absentmindedly picking at her food.

"A little while, you shouldn't be worried. We were ready for a break anyway." Allen says, sensing her discomfort. Lavi laughs out loud.

"A little while? Ha! You were in there for at _least _four hours without stopping. No potty-breaks or anything." Lavi says.

"Jeez, you do take training seriously, Allen." Stefania says, twirling her fork on her finger.

"I suppose, but I'd do anything to get stronger so I can protect my friends." He answers, giving her a smile.

"You've got some mighty good friends, Allen." Stefania says, smiling widely back at him while Lavi chuckles after pausing a moment.

"Got that right!" he says, back to his cheerful self, "You'd be nothing without us!"

Stefania continues to twirl her fork after inhaling her pasta happily. She look at it with a thoughtful yet troubled expression on her face, making Allen worry. Had he said something to make her feel this way? He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He was saved when Lenalee came into the cafeteria with Komui right behind her, going on about how much he loves her. He shrieks and runs to Stefania when he sees her.

"My goodness, I was so worried!" he cried into Stefania's hair when he reached her, making her twitch, "Lenalee said that you left abruptly after your meditation session!" he eyes Lavi and Allen with angry eyes.

"They did something to you, didn't they? I know they did!" he says, pointing an accusing finger at Allen and then Lavi from behind Stefania.

"Get your face out of my hair!" she snaps, growling at him.

"Don't worry, my little butterfly, we'll fix that anger issue of yours!" Komui says cheerfully, although making the wise decision and taking a few steps away from her. Does Komui really have death sentence, calling her a butterfly and telling her she has an anger issue?

Stefania scowls at Komui before dropping her head so her bangs hid her eyes, a frown still on her face and murmuring something to herself that sounded like, "Damn that stupid sister-complex Komui. Couldn't he have bothered Kanda?"

"Say, Allen, I was thinking of going into town tomorrow for lunch since I have off. Would you like to join me?" Lenalee asks him. Allen's face immediately brightens at the word lunch.

"I'd be happy too, Lenalee!" Allen happily accepts. The side of Stefania's frown twitches, something not unnoticed by Lavi.

"Say, Stefania, I believe you don't like the idea of them going alone together." Lavi says, giving Stefania a sly smile, "Perhaps almost as much as Komui!" Komui was standing there, frozen, staring at Lenalee's face. A few moments later, tears begin to spill down his face as he rushed towards Lenalee.

"My dear Lenalee is going on a date with-!" Komui's cries are cut off as a small hand grabs hold of the back of his collar, choking him and making him jerk backwards from the momentum. Behind Komui stands a very angry looking Stefania, her face still in the shadow of her hair. A devilish aura begins to surround her, as well as obvious angry flames.

"Allen-kun is not going on a date with Lenalee. They are merely having… lunch together." Stefania says, her voice in a monotone, "Nothing more, but much less than it sounds." Lenalee sits there, a bit horrified. Allen has wide eyes, his mouth gaping open.

Lavi bursts out into giggles after a few moments of silence.

"I knew it! Our Stefania has a crush on Moyashi!" he begins to slap his palm against the table as he roars with laughter. Stefania's deadly glare turns towards him, letting go of Komui and walking towards him. His laughter begins to die down until he's just chuckling nervously. Stefania has a small, ominous smile on her face.

"Stefania, you'd never do anything to hurt me… I'm like your older brother!" Lavi begins to say nervously, not sounding very confident, "No, you'd never do anything to me…"

"Who said I was going to hurt you?" Stefania starts, the smile still on her face. Lavi wipes a hand on his sweaty forehead in relief.

"Good, I thought for a second there that-," Lavi says, getting cut off by Stefania as her smile grows wider, resembling more of a mischievous Cheshire grin.

"I'm not going to hurt you." She repeats, "I'm going to seriously maim you if not kill you. I hope on the latter, though." Lavi freezes in place, a horrified look on his face.

Her light blue eyes appear from under the shadow, glinting with expectation.

"Get ready, Junior." She murmurs under her breath. Lavi hears this and spins away, dashing away from the lunchroom.

"I'm too young to die!" he shrieks as he's chased out with Stefania hot on his trail.

The rest of the group sits in silence, unsure of what just happened.

"Che. Baka Usagi." Kanda's voice calls out as he returns with Soba noodles and sits down.

"Brother?" Lenalee asks, an uncertain tone in her voice, "Maybe you should stop Stefania…" Komui immediately realizes this, eyes widening.

"Oh dear." He says, readjusting his glasses, "This is bad!" he dashes off towards the exit Stefania and Lavi took, leaving Kanda, Lenalee, and Allen back at the lunch table.

They sit in silence for another few minutes.

"Teasing Stefania is a really bad idea. Agreed?" Allen asks, looking towards Lenalee. She nods, her eyes a bit glazed over in thinking of what would happen if she got on Stefania's bad side. She shuddered at the thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Omake #1 – The Chase<strong>

"Baka Usagi!" she shrieks, "Get your stupid little arse back here!" She turns a corner, running full speed. Bookman was calmly walking, barely a few feet from her speeding figure with Lavi practically hiding behind his pony-tail.

She just barely manages to stop before colliding with both of them.

"Don't hide behind your superior, Baka Usagi!" she shrieks over Bookman's ponytail, pointing an accusing finger at Lavi, "I will get you! When that time comes, Bookman won't be here to save your sorry ass!"

"Oh dear, this isn't good." Komui's voice sounds from behind her, "So sorry, Bookman. Lavi _was_ asking for it, though."

Bookman just stands there, looking over Stefania with calculating eyes.

"Don't worry, Stefania-san. I will make sure Lavi is punished severely for this." He says after a few moments. Stefania's scowl turns into a wide smile as while Lavi's does a complete 180.

Boxing his ears, Bookman drags a cursing Lavi down the hall. Stefania smiles sweetly and waves good-bye to them.

"Have fun~~!" she sing songs, her voice laced with innocent bells.

* * *

><p>Also, my first attempt at an Omake. I think I did pretty well, eh?<p>

I am in a jolly mood for some reason after writing this chapter.


	7. Roller Coaster

_Alright, I don't mind if you yell at me for posting so late (entirely my fault, sorry bout that D:) but you've GOT to read this and tell me what you think. I had no clue how I was supposed to make this one initially, so I made 3 other versions before remembering that Lenalee asked Allen out for lunch (NOT a date) and finally got to making this one. I then, however, started to procrastinate in the past week or so, furiously reading other stories from (literally) dawn till dawn on the weekends. Anyway, it started out one way, went into another, and then ended with a completely unexpected plot bunny burrowing into my brain and not allowing me to do jack until I wrote it all. _

_Thank you for all the others who've reviewed so far, I greatly appreciate what you think about my story and will accept all constructive criticism. NO flame though._

_Without further adieu, this chapter!_

**Victim of Fate Chapter 7 – Roller Coaster **

* * *

><p><em><strong>At a nearby town…<strong>_

Lenalee had a smile plastered on her face as she and Allen walked into town. She had forgotten how nice it was to spend some quality time with Allen. Even though she'd only known him for a short time, she had grown to become close friends with the white-haired exorcist. They chatted over small things, just enjoying the others company.

"Allen, do you want to see the new café they opened?" Lenalee asked, "I hear they make the best strawberry cake!"

Allen immediately brightened at the idea, agreeing to it with childish glee.

"You act so much like a child, Allen." Lenalee giggled at his overenthusiastic response. Allen gave her his signature smile, making her heart skip a beat, for whatever reason. He was just a friend to her… right? She shook her head; now was not the time to think of feelings like that! She just had to enjoy this rare outing.

"Lenalee, what do you think of Stefania? I never really got the chance to ask you about her…" Allen says, trailing off, "After what happened that one night…"

Lenalee stopped walking abruptly, keeping her gaze down at her feet. Allen stops with her, glancing at her worriedly.

"I'm not sure what to think of her. She... looked like a Noah with those eyes… that night." She says, wincing as she relived the memory, "It scared me… yet she's so happy when she acts normally. She's really nice too, but she's got a short temper. Everything about her makes you _want_ to like her, _want_ to protect her. She seems so innocent, like a child."

They continue to walk as Allen thinks over her answer. They arrive at the café, managing to get a seat outside.

"Hello! What may I get for the lovely couple today?" a young waitress asks when they sit down. Lenalee blushes furiously. She hears an angry snort from behind her, but when she turns all she sees are two people sitting, newspapers hiding their faces. She shrugs, returning her attention to the waitress.

"Um… we're not… well…" Allen sputters, trying to get out a logical answer as his ears turn red.

"Just kidding!" the waitress giggles, "So, what do you two want?"

"I'll have 3 of those strawberry cakes I've heard so much about please." Allen orders, finally recovering. He gives the waitress a wide smile.

"I'd like some jasmine tea please." Lenalee orders.

"It's so nice to see such polite people!" the waitress gushes, "I'll be sure to get your order in a few minutes!"

"Thank you very much." Allen said as the waitress skipped away. They sit quietly for half a minute before Allen speaks up.

"Lenalee, that night, I don't think Stefania was herself." Allen said quietly, fiddling his thumbs nervously. Lenalee immediately looked at him with a small frown on her face.

"What do you mean?" Lenalee asked just as quietly.

"Well… when my eye hurt, I don't believe I was thinking clearly." Allen confessed, "When she hummed that song… it definitely did something to both of us. I don't think I was myself either. The song stopped the pain in my eye. What scares me the most is who I thought she was…"

Lenalee pursed her lips, worried. Allen had the same golden eyes as Stefania, so it _was _possible.

"Who did you think she was?" Lenalee asked softly. Allen looked up at her with his stormy-gray eyes.

"Someone named Lale…" he whispered. The tension immediately leaves the two as the waitress comes back, Allen placing the wide smile on his face once more. She was carefully balancing two strawberry cakes while another coworker had the third cake and Lenalee's jasmine tea.

"Think you can handle all of this cake?" The waitress asks as she sets it down.

"Without a doubt." Allen says confidently, picking up a spoon. The waitress giggles as she sees Allen devouring the cake with pleasure.

"Come back for some cake anytime!" she said as she walked away, "I'll gladly get you some great deals if you come often."

"Thank you very much!" he said, swallowing his food.

Lenalee dropped the subject quickly; she didn't want to spend her time worrying. This was her special alone time with Allen-kun! She'd rather die than ruin it. She sipped at her jasmine tea as she watched Allen inhale all three cakes in less than 10 minutes.

* * *

><p><em><strong>A few tables over…<strong>_

Stefania's mouth watered as she watched Allen eat the strawberry cakes. She hadn't heard the majority of the conversation, but she knew it was about her. She had never liked Lenalee in the first place, and it felt as if Lenalee was always wary around her, so it wouldn't have been a big surprise if she was warning Allen about something. Lenalee, however, wasn't the only source of her irritation. Oh no, not just Lenalee. Lenalee was bad enough, but even the _waitress_ had her eyes on Allen!

This had to be some kind of joke.

It made her a bit sick, seeing all these girls preening over Allen. It also made her feel something else… she couldn't pin down the emotion, but it wasn't a pleasant one. It was an angry fire in the pit of her stomach, reddening her face every time she saw the waitress giggling with her friends inside the café.

She had almost gotten caught by Lenalee when the waitress had first said what a _lovely couple_ the two were. The thought of Lenalee and Allen being a lovely couple made her snort quite loudly, making Lenalee turn around in suspicion before shrugging it off. Lavi had continued to tease her about it, her having a crush on Allen, but she continued to let the teasing slide off of her.

"Be quiet, you owe me." Stefania whispered to Lavi, readjusting her newspaper.

"Since when?" Lavi whined, pouting. She gave him a glare and he chuckled nervously again, "Right…"

Stefania shushed him, trying to hear more of the conversation.

_Stefania… medical ward… _

Her ears perked up at the sound and she leaned closer. They were talking about the one night she couldn't remember! Maybe she could extract some juicy information on what happened to her…

_Song… cleanse… Noah…_

…Noah? Where had that come from? Stefania shot a glance at Lavi, trying to see if he understood anything, but Lavi was staring intently at the other two exorcists. Lavi's face never changed as he continued to listen. Stefania didn't doubt for one that he heard every single word of the conversation, being the apprentice Bookman that he was.

Leaning in close once more, she strained her ears, trying to catch more of the conversation, but was stopped by something that _shouldn't_ have been unexpected.

**Grrr…**

Her stomach growled softly, making her twitch slightly. All the food that was around her –that she _wasn't_ eating- was starting to get to her. She clutched her stomach with one hand, careful to make sure the other had a firm grip on the newspaper, and prayed quietly for her stomach to quiet down.

**Grrrrr…**

Her stomach growled loudly, making some people from other tables glance around at the sudden sound. Lavi glanced at her momentarily with a smug smile on his face, an eyebrow raised. Stefania scowled at him before sending a death glare to her stomach in an attempt to quiet it down.

**-Shutupshutupshutupshutup- **she thought in a steady mantra. Her face brightened into a small smile when her stomach obeyed, quieting down. She gave a relieved sigh and then returned her attention to the conversation.

_Shop… return… mission…_

She scowled again. She had missed the good part! They were already back to the topic of returning to the Black Order. What a shame; she had wanted to know for herself, but she was just going to have to grill Lavi on the information later. Lenalee and Allen stood up, leaving money on the table and leaving.

Stefania sighed, leaning back.

**GRRRRR…**

"Someone's a bit hungry…" Lavi laughed.

"Shut up…" Stefania mumbled, going red in the face. She was certain that the growl could've been heard back at the Black Order, if not the entire country. The same peppy waitress that had served Allen and Lenalee pranced over.

"Would you like something to eat, miss?" she asked politely, getting out a notepad. Stefania grimaced but ordered some cake. The waitress skipped away –very annoyingly, Stefania might add-, leaving Lavi and Stefania alone.

"What did ya hear?" Stefania asked, bouncing a little in her seat. She leaned forward with wide eyes like an expectant child. Lavi chuckled.

"Finders keepers, losers weepers~" Lavi sang as he stood up and gave her a little finger wave as he walked away. Stefania sat there, chin threatening to touch the table. That wasn't fair! He owed her that information, and she'd be damned if she wouldn't get it! She was about to follow him and hit him upside the head for his stupidity when the waitress came back, carrying several cakes.

"Got ditched, huh?" the waitress asked, noticing her angry expression. Stefania couldn't respond, still fuming at Lavi's abrupt departure. The waitress took this as a yes.

"I'll give this to you on the house…" the waitress said, sighing heavily as she reminisced on the oh-too recent past, "I know how you feel sister." Stefania scowled before picking up the spoon and furiously digging into the cake.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Back at the Black Order…<strong>_

Lenalee walked into Komui's office after returning from lunch to find Komui drooling at his desk in his sleep. Allen walked up to Komui and whispered a few choice words into his ear, making Komui jump up frantically.

"Lenalee! Why did you do this to me? You're only fifteen years old; you're too young for a boyfriend! Who is it? I bet it's that Lavi, isn't it? Those damn womanizing red-heads are going to run us into the-!" Komui shrieked, hugging Lenalee.

"Brother, Allen was kidding." Lenalee said, rolling her eyes. Komui immediately stopped, straightened himself, readjusted his glasses, and coughed lightly.

"I knew that…" he said.

"Brother, whenever I go out into town with friends, you always object and somehow interfere with the outing. But this time you were sleeping!" Lenalee exclaimed, a bit angry. Komui's face fell.

"My Lenalee is angry at me for not watching out for her myself?" he cried out, "I thought she was good enough protection!" Allen and Lenalee looked at Komui.

"Who is she?" Allen asks. Komui immediately does the zip my lips motion, throwing out the key.

"Komui!" A voice screamed from outside the door, which was flung open violently to reveal a very angry Stefania who stalked up to Komui, pointing an accusing finger, "The bastard walked away from me with all of the juicy details! I didn't hear jack shit of what they were talking about and the man just walks away! Next time tell that baka usagi to actually _cooperate_! Now if you excuse me I'm going to go see where All-,"

Stefania froze as she looked at Komui's frantic hand gestures.

"Damn you sister complex, say it out loud! I don't have time to play charades!" Stefania yelled at him, only causing him to shrink in fear.

"Stefania."

Stefania's face immediately transformed as she heard the voice. She stiffened, not turning around.

"Stefania."

A nervous chuckle escaped her lips as she reluctantly turned to see Lenalee tapping her foot, arms crossed, with a rare angry look on her face.

"Hey… Lenalee… how'ya doing?" she asked nervously, shifting her weight from one foot to another. Lenalee continued to look at her silently, her expression unchanging.

"Well, I've been… great… thanks for asking." Stefania said slowly, trying not to provoke the already fuming exorcist in front of her.

"You know, whatever you want to talk about, we can talk about later. I've got a, uh, very important appointment!" Stefania said enthusiastically, stepping around Lenalee with hands cupped behind her back and beginning to babble, "Yeah… that's it! Very important appointment can't miss it for the world, something to do with my health and possibly future health issues…"

"Stefania."

"See ya!" Stefania yelled, throwing open the door and dashing outside, only to run into a wall, bouncing back on her butt. Rubbing her sore buttocks, she slowly stands up.

"Owwieee…" she whined, looking up at the culprit. Her face lit up as she saw the older man in front of her.

"Ary-kun! You've come to save me!" she shrieked, hiding behind him. He looked down at her, confused.

"Save you?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes! Lenalee has got it in her head that I've done something wrong! I'm so scared, Ary-kun!" Stefania cried, hiding her head in his long cloak. Krory's heart immediately melted at the childishly innocent sight.

"Lenalee…" he said softly, "What wrong-doing do you believe Stefania has done?" Lenalee did not answer, only continuing to look at Stefania.

"She stalked us while we were out to lunch." Allen piped up from the corner, "But Komui asked her to, right Komui?" he turned to Komui, who was nervously fiddling his thumbs, contradicting Allen's last statement.

"She actually asked if she could come with me…" Komui mumbled. Krory looked down at Stefania in surprise.

"Is this true, Stefania?" Krory asked softly, stroking her hair.

"Of course not; do you honestly believe I would do something as childish as that?" Stefania said, looking up at Krory with a pout on her face. Everyone, _including Ary-kun_, gave her a disbelieving look.

"What? Don't you believe me?" she whined, "It hurts that you have such little trust in me!"

"Stefania, do you understand what you've done?" Lenalee asked quietly, bangs hiding her face.

"I see no reason for the overreaction, Lenalee." Stefania said seriously, frowning slightly, "It is not as if I interrupted you at all. Besides, it was only lunch. There is absolutely no reason for you to be so upset over such trivial things. Lenalee, do you understand what _you've_ done?"

Stefania's voice had grown cold and sounded decades older. She narrowed her eyes at Lenalee as the flustered girl look up to meet the suddenly intimidating bright blue eyes.

"How does _precious_ Lenalee understand what she's done?" Stefania spat out, "Why are you like this, why Lenalee? Here you are a friend to all, kind to all, no questions asked on your part. Kindness is a second nature to you. Please enlighten me as to why you are so angry towards me when anger is rarely shown to others. The only anger that we know is the kind you show towards our enemies, the Noah. The anger that you're showing me now is the same. Do you see me as an enemy, Lenalee? Am I not your friend? Your comrade? Do I _look _like a Noah to you?"

Stefania's voice grew louder and bitterer as she continued, the last question ended in a strangled shout. The others in the room stared at her in shock, eyes wide; for they knew the last question was meant for everyone.

"I know that you don't like me, Lenalee…" Stefania started, her voice dropping to a whisper, "but what exactly have I done to have you feel like that? What have I done wrong?"

Stefania's head drooped, brown bangs hiding her face. Krory stood, looking down on her, horrified. It looked like her. It sounded like her. It even _smelt_ like her. But Krory was positive about one thing.

Those words were not Stefania's.

"I only wanted to help!" Stefania cried from across the room, "But I cannot without getting her angry!"

Allen shivered at those words. It sounded like she was trying to convince herself, even though it didn't sound like Stefania at all. None of it sounded like her. Could it possibly be the…

_Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. Lale. _

The name was repeated in the back of his head, though they were not his thoughts. It sounded mournful and full of longing. Allen wanted so desperately to comfort her, but had no clue how.

Stefania blinked several times, her face growing a little confused before widening into a nervous smile and bouncing her weight from one foot to another.

"I guess now I'm the one who's overreacting, huh?" She said, looking down at the ground, "Heh… well… I'll uh, I'll be going now… to get my uniform."

"One moment, Stefania." Komui said, pushing his glasses up his nose, "Tomorrow you are to leave with Allen on a mission. I would like to brief you on it once you get your uniform, so if you wouldn't mind, please return once you've finished."

Stefania blinked several times as if she was trying to comprehend it.

"A… mission?" she said slowly, testing the words on her tongue, "You're sending me on a mission with Allen… alone?"

"Yes, that is correct." Komui said, smiling at her. She stood frozen for a few more moments before jumping in the air in childish glee.

"YAHOO! Finally! A mission!" she shrieked happily, both arms high in the air, "What are we going to do? Are we going to save a damsel in distress that happens to have Innocence? Are we going to kick akuma ass?"

Krory glared at her, making Stefania shrug and laugh nervously.

"Are we going to kick akuma butt?" she revised, making Komui raise an eyebrow and smile widely.

"You're going to be delivering a package to General Yeeger."

Stefania's happy face froze before twitching and falling to a scowl.

"Why me?" she groaned as she skulked out of the room, mumbling something akin to, "I'm not a damn delivery girl…"

* * *

><p>Stefania took a small detour to her room before heading to find Johnny and get her uniform. She locked the door behind her and slid down it, setting her still sore buttocks on the ground. Placing a hand over her face, she tried to suppress the trembling that was started to overcome her, not succeeding.<p>

What was she? The snippets of conversation she got from Lenalee and Allen suddenly made more sense. Why else would she be acting like this… acting unlike herself? Then again, the happy and always bubbly exterior wasn't her either. She had never had much interaction with other people around her age, so she stuck with the personality she had when she was younger because people seemed happier when she was happy. People meaning Allen. Stefania wasn't going to deny it, she felt something for Allen. To her it was as obvious as his white hair sticking out of a crowd. Not wanting Ary-kun to kill him back at the castle, sticking around him back here at the Order, becoming jealous when Komui said they were going on a… the d-word.

She chuckled softly. She couldn't even say the word! Sighing, she stood up, going to the bathroom. She washed her face with cold water, making it numb. Looking into the mirror, she gives a loud shriek, blue eyes growing unbelievably wide.

Behind her stood a tall woman with long wavy black hair, her bangs pulled into a small ponytail laying flat on the top of her head. She wore a magnificent yet plain blue dress, small ruffles on the ends of her large sleeves and ends of her hem. Over it she wore another simple yet elegant traveling cloak. Her eyes, though gold colored, looked at her warmly. She smiled, revealing glittering white teeth.

"Hello Stefania. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, the epitome of Innocence."

* * *

><p><em>Oh, yes I did. I'm feeling all giddy now. Have no fucking clue what the name of the hairstyle was, but I always wear my hair like that... <em>

_Also, is this a new record? Let's count off the different things that happened in this chapter!_

_Stalking? CHECK_

_Ditching? CHECK_

_Extreme Anger x 2? CHECK_

_Incomprehensible Fear x2? CHECK_

_Causing General Confusion? CHECK_

_Overreaction x2? CHECK_

_Disappointment? CHECK_

_I'm getting bored with this list now, it's too much T_T. _

_Anyway, long footer short, it was fun. R&R is appreciated :D_


	8. Rainy Mission Blues

_Alrightie, my dear readers, the time has come to learn of the past! Some things may not be entirely clear, but that's on purpose. Also, I tried making this chapter in Stefania's POV... meaning lots of I's and inner thoughts. Also... *pumps fist in the air* 2 days and almost 5,000 words. That was impressive for someone like me! Thank you **MCRDanime**, **Shaybo27**, **Gold ****Phantom**, and **XxBishxX** for reviewing the past several chapters, I really appreciate it :D Shaybo27 has been particularly enthusiastic about my story, giving me 7 reviews of the 12 I have as of the 7th chapter, so give her a big round of applause! Or cookies. I think she'd like both. _

_Constructive criticism is always appreciated, so don't hesitate in giving it. Just don't flame. Not flaming = actually being helpful. _

_"BLAH BLAH" - This is someone speaking mentally to our dear heroine._

_(_**BLAH** **BLAH**_) - This is Stefania's mental response, meaning no one can hear her. It's also some of her own thoughts, namely near the beginning._

**...**

**Victim of Fate Chapter 8 – Rainy Mission Blues**

_Behind her stood a tall woman with long wavy black hair, her bangs pulled into a small ponytail laying flat on the top of her head. She wore a magnificent yet plain blue dress, small ruffles on the ends of her large sleeves and ends of her hem. Over it she wore another simple yet elegant traveling cloak. Her eyes, though gold colored, looked at her warmly. She smiled, revealing glittering white teeth._

"_Hello Stefania. It's a pleasure to finally meet you, the epitome of Innocence."_

**...**

"Stefania?" Allen's voice calls from behind me, muffled by the door, "Are you alright?"

The door behind me jiggles as Allen attempts to open it, not succeeding with the lock. I groggily lift my head.

"Stefania?" He calls out again, worried. I shake my head, clearing the drowsiness from my system.

"Yeah?" I call back. I stand up and open the door, rubbing my eyes.

"Are you alright? It's been several hours since you'd left and Johnny said he hadn't seen you…"

I scratch the back of my head, confused. Finally I begin to giggle.

"Oops, sorry about that Allen-kun! I accidentally fell asleep." I say, scratching my neck.

_(_**Was that all a dream?**_)_

I follow him to Komui's office where we meet with Johnny who has my new uniform with extras packed in a new suitcase. I thank him and give him a smile, making him blush furiously.

"I'm sorry I'm so late, Komui." I apologize, "I guess I was a bit tired…"

_(_**I can't tell them.**_)_

"It's not a problem, my little butterfly!" Komui says, brushing off the tardiness. I grit my teeth at the nickname as he continues, "Now, the mission will be simple. You and Allen are supposed to rendezvous with General Yeegar somewhere in Belgium and give him this package."

Komui holds out an ordinary looking black satchel.

"That's an awfully stylish bag you got there Komui…" I mutter under my breath, making Allen chuckle quietly.

"In order to know of General Yeegar's current position we will send you to a finder in General Yeegar's group who will then escort you to him. Any questions?" Komui asked.

"Just about how long do you think this'll take?" I ask, raising my hand.

"It should only take a few days, a week maximum." Komui answered, "Are you ready?"

I nod furiously, anxious to get going.

"Good because your train leaves in about ten minutes."

**...**

"We're screwed."

"Don't say that Stefania! If we jump off the edge of that bridge the moment we get there, we should be able to get there in time!"

"I repeat: we are screwed."

I scowl at him as we run side by side at a break-neck pace, trying to catch the train that is already speeding past the bridge. Jumping over the edge, we land on the very last car at the last moment.

"I don't like trains." I frown, remembering the last time I'd been on a train, "Everything bad that could possibly happen will happen on a train."

Allen smiles encouragingly at me, though it doesn't help much. He opens the door to our first-class car, standing aside so I can walk in. I plop down on one side and he sits across from me. We sit in an awkward silence for several minutes.

"Another reason why I don't like trains: there's nothing to do on them." I pout, "I'm so bored! Can we see what's inside the satchel…?" I reach my hand over to the satchel sitting on the cushion next to me.

"It's for the General's eyes only, remember?" Allen says. I sigh heavily and replace my hand to my lap, looking out the window. It was an absolutely dreary and depressing day with dark clouds in the sky that made it look like it was nighttime. It was not raining, but I knew it would soon enough; I could already hear the thunder in the distance.

My thoughts go back to the woman from my… dream? I couldn't tell if I had fallen asleep at the bottom of the door or if I'd fainted and was brought back, but I knew who it was.

It was the Noah that was in me.

From the conversation earlier, she knew that Allen and Lenalee knew about this development, though they don't know I've actually –kinda- met her. Well... I don't know her name to start with. When I was ranting earlier I felt as if someone was giving me a script and I was reading off of it. If I really had a Noah in me, even one that looked at kind as that one, there was no way in hell I'd let her take over. Either that or I'd have to be in hell for that to happen. Being controlled isn't a fun feeling.

But… if I could speak to the Noah woman… maybe I could come to some sort of agreement?

I shake my head furiously to lose the thought. Make an agreement? With a Noah? I must be going crazy. There was no way in hell the Noah would actually _agree _to my conditions.

"_And what might those be?"_

I'm jerked out of my inner thinking by the sudden voice inside. Allen is eyeing me curiously.

"Allen… it's rude to stare!" I chide, putting a wide smile on my face. His cheeks turn a slight rosy tint and he looks away, making me smile genuinely. Looky there, a gentleman caught staring.

"_What are your conditions, Stefania?"_

_(_**Shut up.**_)_

"_You say a Noah would never agree to your conditions, am I correct?"_

_(_**Well… yes.**_)_

"_Then you have hope for me yet."_

_(_**What do you mean, Noah?**_)_

"_Please do not call me that; my name is Lale. I do not consider myself family to the sinners known as the Noah."_

_(_**What makes you so different?**_)_

"_I can see every sin or wrong-doing done by any person by looking them in the eyes."_

I inwardly flinched at the idea. No wonder she didn't consider herself a Noah, she probably would never live with herself if she did the awful things the Noah did. Not to mention that the Noah normally feel no shame for whatever they do.

"_Please do not look through the eyes of your lover boy, the Noah currently residing in him makes me want to regurgitate my dinner."_

I stare, wide-eyed, at Allen. I don't even talk back for Lale calling him my lover boy. Allen has a Noah inside him?

_(_**Why should I believe you?**_)_

"_I believe it is a sin to lie to someone as Innocent as you."_

_(_**I've done bad things, so why am I so Innocent?**_)_

"_Ah, my young Stefania, you are most probably the purest of your friends. You witnessed the murder of your parents, even though they were already akuma, at a young and fragile age."_

_(_**Why is it you know that?**_)_

"_My dear, it is because I joined you soon after. I took away those horrid memories of your family and locked them up so you would not, as the people say it these days, freak out."_

_(_**… I've decided that I don't like you.**_)_

"_Why is that? Because I've answered every question truthfully? Would you rather I lie to you instead?"_

…

I just realized how ridiculous this conversation is. Conversing with my inner… person I suppose. As long as I was grilling her for information though…

_(_**Who is the Noah inside of Allen?**_)_

"_His name is Neah, more commonly known as the Fourteenth Noah. He has a… bachelor's personality, so try to stay away from him."_

I couldn't help it.

_(_**Do you have a little bit of romantic history with this Neah?**_)_

"_I, well, that's preposterous! Of course not!"_

_(_**Whatever you say, Lale.**_)_

Maybe having an inner Lale wasn't such a bad thing. She'd probably keep me sane on some of the ridiculously boring missions. Besides, it felt pretty satisfying to see a Noah fluster like that.

I yawn loudly, outstretching my arms.

"I'm going to take a quick nap, alright Allen-kun?" Allen looks over at me.

"Alright, I'll wake you up when we reach Belgium." He says. I'm careful not to look in his eyes. I stretch out on my cushion, hands adding an extra cushion to my head.

"G'night."

"Have a nice night, Stefania."

I smile softly, closing my eyes.

**...**

"_Carmen, it's your bedtime."_

"…_Mummy?"_

"_Yes Carmen?"_

"_Why is everyone so sad?"_

"_You don't have to worry about it, sweetheart. It's only for adults."_

"_But I want to help!"_

"_I told you, it's an adult thing."_

"_No! I wanna help!"_

"_Sweetheart, it's something that can't be helped."_

"_Well too bad! I'm helping!"_

"_Carmen. You cannot help anyone. Do not try to help anyone, understand?"_

"_Why not?"_

"_I wouldn't be able to live with myself… that's why."_

"_Mummy, why are you crying?"_

"_It's because I'm sad, sweetheart. Grandpa and Grandma passed away."_

"_But… we just saw them this morning!"_

"_That's the thing with death, sweetheart. It can happen in less than a day and leave years of heartbreak in its wake."_

"_Mummy, what do you mean by heartbreak? Your heart can't literally break, can it?"_

"_It's when you feel as if your heart is being ripped in two."_

"_Yeah, but no one has ever felt their heart being ripped in two, so how can they relate? Heartbreak is stupid. Your heart can only be whole!"_

"_It's a figure of speech, sweetheart."_

"_So your heart is broken, Mummy?"_

"…"

"_Mummy?"_

"_I know your father's heart is broken."_

"_Then let's go cheer him up!"_

"_He'd rather be left alone at the moment, dear."_

"_What about you, Mummy? Would you rather be left alone?"_

"… _I believe I do sweetheart."_

"_Then you can go. I promise I'll go to sleep."_

"_That's a good girl. Sweet dreams, Carmen."_

"_G'night Mummy. I hope you feel better in the morning!"_

"_I do too…"_

**...**

I feel a hand gently shake my shoulder.

"Five more minutes Mama…" I mumble, moving to turn onto my stomach. The comfy cushion falls from under me and I fall to the ground harshly.

"Ow…" I groan from the floor. Allen immediately leans over me, wide-eyed.

"I'm so sorry Stefania! I didn't mean for you to do that!" he apologizes frantically. I wave him away as he helps me to my feet.

"It's alright Allen-kun." I smile at him, making him sigh in relief, "Are we there?"

"Yes, the conductor announced that we would arrive in Belgium shortly." Allen says, walking out into the hallway of the train. I follow, close to his heels. We get off the train, me pushing Allen out of the way in a rush to get out. I sigh in relief as I fall face first into the soft grass.

"I hate trains…" I mutter, Allen laughing at me from several feet away. I lie there, eyeing the man in the tan coat who walks up to Allen.

"Are you Allen-san?" The man asks. Allen smiles and nods at him.

"You must be the finder assigned to us. It's a pleasure to meet you." Allen says, shaking the finder's hand.

"My name is Thierry; it is a pleasure to meet you as well, Allen-san." Thierry says, smiling warmly at the teenager.

"Please, just call me Allen." Allen says. He gestures over to my lying form, "That is Stefania. She'll be joining me for this mission."

I giggle at the finder's confused face and send him a little finger wave.

"Pleased tuh meet'cha!" I call as I stand up and walk to him.

"I'm sorry for asking, Stefania-san, but aren't you a bit young to be an exorcist?" Thierry asks. I immediately groan and throw my head back.

"How old do I look to you?" I ask, dreading the response.

"Ten… possibly eleven years old." Thierry says. I dramatically lift my hand to my forehead.

"Why does this happen to me? I'm fourteen for petes sake!" I whine. Thierry is surprised at my age, but quickly recovers.

"I will escort you to General Yeegar's current position now." He says, turning and walking down the road. I quickly jump out of my gloom and run to catch up with Thierry, Allen walking on the other side.

"Hey Thierry," I hear Allen ask, "What is General Yeegar like?"

I giggle, hearing Allen's hesitant tone. Poor boy still has bad memories of his master.

"I've heard that you were General Cross's apprentice. I assure you that General Yeeger is nothing like that." Thierry says, his voice began to speak in admiration, "He's more like a teacher than a slave driver. He teaches us finders many things and is very kind. The only thing that would possibly come off as being mean would be his strictness for table manners."

I laugh out loud, making Thierry look at me confused.

"What is amusing you, Stefania?" he asks.

"Allen-kun's screwed!" I manage to gasp out in between fits of giggles, "His table manners are close to if not non-existent!"

"I have table manners!" Allen protested.

"Not when you're hungry you don't

"It's the same with you, correct?"

"No way! I'm a lady, I'm dignified, and I've always got table manners!"

"Well, we know for sure one thing."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"You've no sense of grammar."

"What're you talking about, _moyashi?_ I've got an amazing sense of grammar!"

"Let's hope General Yeegar can fix that."

"I don't need General Yeegar's help! I've got it all under control; I don't need an adults help!"

"Ah, so you admit that you have no sense of grammar."

"That's harsh… I was stuck in a castle with a vampire for nearly 8 years, what was I supposed to do?"

"Study?"

"May I repeat what I just said? I was stuck. In a fucking castle. I was 6 years old at the time; of course I'm going to _explore_ the castle!"

"8 years is plenty enough time to explore a castle, don't you think?"

"What's your excuse? You eat all the time, so why don't you have better table manners?"

A dark gloom overtook Allen, making him slump as he walked.

"Master always spent the money we had on alcohol and gambling. Whenever I managed to save up enough money for food, it wasn't much. I lived on the streets beforehand, so that didn't help."

"Damn it, Allen-kun! Now you're making me feel as if I was raised as a princess!"

"Weren't you? The way Krory treats you, you are his princess."

"Ary-kun stopped treating me as his princess once that damned Eliade came in; I didn't like her for one moment!"

"When was that?"

"Four years ago. I was ten at the time."

"That's a good age to stop dreaming of being a princess…"

"That's not nice! I was a ten year old girl that had only a forbidden library full of books for comfort, of course I'm going to read every fairy tale there. Ary-kun's grandmother also had the prettiest dresses; even though they were too big for me, I loved to try them on! It really did feel as if I were a princess."

"Well, you certainly look the part."

I blush furiously, looking at him.

"What'dya mean?"

He freezes, realizing what he just said.

"Well, um, I just…" he stammers, unable to form a complete sentence. Thierry began to laugh heartily.

I just continued to blush and grimaced, looking down at the road we were walking on.

"_Lover boy…"_

_(_**Just be quiet.**_)_

"_As you wish…"_

"Are we there yet?" I ask after what feels like hours of walking in silence.

"There are only a few kilometers left; we should be there by sundown." Thierry answers. I groan.

"How are we supposed to tell if it's sundown if it already looks as if it's dark already?" I ask, pointing towards the dark clouds in the sky, "Besides, it looks as if it will rain any second."

As if the heavens had been waiting for me to call it out, rain started falling from the sky, forming a small drizzle.

"Nice going, Stefania. You jinxed it." Allen says, groaning.

"'tis not my fault I like to point out the obvious!" I retort, thrusting my hands in my pockets.

The rain quickly turned into a downpour, lightning flashing every 30 seconds or so and immediately followed by ear-shattering thunder.

"Why meeee?" I whine, placing my hands over my ears.

"Are those lights?" Allen said, pointing to the distance. I squint my eyes, trying to look through the rain.

"You're right! We're saved!" I yell, going into a sprint towards the light. After sprinting for several seconds, I see a small carriage in the distance. I grin, increasing my speed. I shriek when a large weight pushes me off the path and into a tree.

"Stefania!" I hear Allen cry out in surprise. I'm still dazed, trying to blink through the stars in my view. I sense an arm coming to hit me and dive to the right, landing on my side.

"Foolish Exorcist!" I hear a voice cackle out. I scramble to my feet and activate my Innocence, only to have it smacked out of my hand into a puddle several feet away. I lunge at my Innocence, slipping on the mud. I grip it tightly as I land in the puddle, the Akuma laughing from behind me.

"Looks like somebody got a little wet!" it cackled. I leap to my feet and dash up a large tree like a squirrel, desperate to find a good vantage point.

"You're useless by yourself, Exorcist!" it laughed, "Always need your comrades helping you. You're weak!"

The Akuma gripped my leg with its large hands, the claws digging deep into my flesh. I cry out in pain as I'm thrown back on the ground. Lightning flashes through the forest, giving me full few of the atrocious sight.

Standing above me was a Level 2 Akuma, strongly resembling a snake. Its long body had no legs, but looked as if it was capable of moving at lightning-fast speeds. On the ends of its slimy fingers were long claws, resembling scimitars as they were curved and very sharp. Its face was a sickening combination of human and snake; its eyes resembled slits, inside its mouth were large fangs coupled with rows of sharp teeth, and its nose were simple holes where it should be.

It frightened me.

I sat there, frozen in fear, watching as the Akuma brought his claws high in the air and laugh madly.

"Nighty-night, Exorcist!"

Allen bursts through the brush, pushing the Akuma further into the forest with his activated Innocence. He follows it while Thierry rushes to my side.

"Stefania, are you alright?" He asks as he gets out his first-aid kit. I don't respond, still in shock. He takes a look at my leg and immediately goes to work cleaning it. I stare at the direction Allen and the Akuma went with wide eyes.

I grip my Innocence with white knuckles.

"I've gotta go help Allen." I say, attempting to stand up. Thierry pushes me back down.

"At least wait until I've finished bandaging." He says, giving me a stern glare. I scowl but let him finish bandaging, continuing to worry about Allen. It was my fault after all, I'd let my guard down because of the thought of a warm and dry place to sleep. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Just as Thierry finishes bandaging my leg, Allen comes back.

"I got the Akuma." He says before looking down on my worriedly, "Did you get hurt badly?"

"I'm fine!" I snarl, standing up and walking back to the road. The rain continues to pour as we walk in silence to the carriage.

"General Yeegar! I have returned with the two exorcists!" Thierry calls once we reach the carriage. The horses are unhooked and eating nearby vegetation, completely ignoring the rain. The carriage door opens to reveal an old man with long white hair and a white mustache. He waves us over.

"Please please, come inside and get out of this dreadful rain!" he calls out. I assume he's General Yeegar, since he has the air of kindness Thierry was talking about earlier. We quickly shuffle inside the comfy carriage, the smell of steak making my mouth water. The carriage wasn't your usual carriage, considering inside they managed to cram in a booth, a bed, and a small stove.

"Please, take a seat. I'll be finished with the steak shortly." General Yeegar says, going to the stove. Allen and Thierry immediately take a seat in the booth, resting their aching muscles, but I continue to stand awkwardly. General Yeeger notices and asks if something was wrong, concern laced in his voice.

"It's just… I didn't think it would be very polite if I sat down while you stood on your feet and cooked us food… especially considering I'm simply soaked and will wet your chair." I say uncomfortably, shifting the weight from one foot to another and looking at the floor. General Yeegar chuckles and gives me a warm smile.

"You do not have to worry about me just yet; these old bones of mine still function correctly. I do not mind standing up to cook your food, especially since it is my fault that you've come out of your way to deliver a simple package. So please, do not worry and enjoy yourself. It is the least I can do since you've trudged through that simply awful rain." He says. Hesitantly I nod and sit down next to Thierry, careful to put the least amount of contact on the soft perch.

"I take it you dislike the rain?" I ask, striking up conversation.

"Yes, that is correct." He answers, "Do you dislike it as much as I?" I shrug.

"When I'm inside I have no problems with the rain. It's only when I'm stuck outside that I begin to hate it." I explain. General Yeegar hands us plates of steak and some bread to eat on the side. Allen begins to ravenously fork down the food, making General Yeegar look at him in shock.

"Allen." I hiss at him, making him look up at me in confusion before going back to his food. I kick his leg from under the table. Allen drops his fork and jumps back, clutching his leg.

"Ow! What in the world did you do that for?" he whines, rubbing his sore leg.

"You were being an idiot again!" I hiss at him, picking up my fork and eating my food much too slow for my liking.

"What? I was just eating!" he protests.

"Do you call inhaling the entire table eating?" I ask, pointing towards the bread basket and Thierry's plate. Both were wiped clean, as well as Allen's plate, "Do you know how incredibly rude you're being? You're eating like a pig in the presence of a General. That's incredibly disrespectful! Apologize now." I glare at Allen, daring him to defy me. General Yeegar begins to laugh.

"There is no need to apologize, my boy. I do like it when someone enjoys my cooking." He says, turning back to the stove, "I still have extra steaks that I can prepare."

"But he… that's… ugh!" I groan, dragging my gaze towards the ceiling of the carriage while scowling at nothing.

"_I have found that you have a quick temper. The smallest ember can set you ablaze."_

"No really?" I mumble under my breath, "Never would've guessed." I glance at Allen, finding he already has another steak. Looking down at my own plate, I find my own absent. I scowl again, tapping my nails against the table in irritation. As much as I liked Allen, that boy could really push my buttons sometimes. He can't even control his eating cravings for god's sakes.

Allen finally finishes his eating binge, making my mood drop by the minute. I didn't know why I felt so angry at Allen's table manners, considering I was exactly the same back at the Black Order. Satisfied, Allen leans back with a contented smile on his face.

Allen hands General Yeegar the stylish bag (package, if you must) after they absentmindedly chat for a few minutes. I ignore the useless conversation, unconsciously rubbing my arms to warm myself up. Though I wasn't listening to their conversation, I heard Lale make a disturbing comment.

"_Those poor children… they were much too young and innocent to die."_

Startled, I perk up my ears and begin to listen into the conversation about General Yeegar's previous occupation. I immediately regret that decision. Such an abrupt and traumatizing way to join the Order….

"Stefania, are you alright?" General Yeegar asks after a minute or two of silence. I look up, a sad smile on my face.

"I can't stop thinking about those poor children." I say, sounding a bit haunted. I change the subject, feeling the gloomy mood growing worse, "I can't really connect with the feeling of classmates, considering I've never actually been to school."

"No schooling of any kind?" General Yeegar asks.

"Ary-kun taught me how to read and we had a big library, so I wouldn't say I didn't have any schooling at all." I say, recalling with a smile how Ary-kun would teach me.

"Can you do mathematics?" General Yeegar asks, intrigued. I give him a confused look.

"Mathematics?" I ask.

"You know, 1 + 1 = 2?" Allen pipes in.

"That's what they call it? I never knew it actually had a name." I say, "But yeah, I can do mathematics."

"Can you do multiplication and division? What about algebra?" Allen asks. I scowl at him.

"Why so interested in my education now, Allen-kun?" I ask him, irritated to hide the fact I have no clue what he was talking about.

"No reason, I was just curious." Allen defends, holding up his hands in defeat, "So, can you?" I grimace and look away, keeping my mouth shut.

"I'll take that as a no…" Allen says, trailing off before piping up again, "But we can always find you a tutor, since I highly doubt Komui will leave you alone." I groan for the umpteenth time tonight.

"It was torture learning how to read and to do mathematics!" I whine. Thierry and General Yeegar laugh at my whining.

"Well, I do believe that it is time for you three to go to bed. You need to make the return trip tomorrow at dawn." General Yeegar says, "Stefania, you may take the bed."

"No, I couldn't possibly take it!" I protest, my eyes wide, "Please, I want you to take it. I don't mind sleeping on the ground!"

"No, I insist that you take the bed." General Yeegar says, narrowing his eyes. I huff in defeat.

"Beat so easily?" Allen asks.

"I can't argue with him…" I mumble as I stand up and lie down on the bed. Thierry goes outside to sleep with the other finders assigned to General Yeegar in their tents. Allen and General Yeegar sleep on the floor near the door. I lie there, awake, staring at the ceiling of the carriage. I find I'm not tired at all, not even the least bit drowsy.

One would think that being attacked by their first Akuma in the rain would make someone exhausted, but apparently I didn't fit the bill.

**...**

_Can you infer on who Carmen is? Honestly, the thought of making that scene started to bug me after i'd passed it initially, so I had to go back and make it. I couldn't resist..._

_Anyway, that was a hoot to write! Gimmie some R&R people! Believe it or not, it's actually useful. You don't have to tell me if you like it or not, just tell me what you're most excited about if you're excited about anything in my story. _

_Arrivederci!  
><em>


	9. Laughter

_Holy crap! Started one way and went another. I feel like I progressed too much in this chapter, but i'm getting impatient. I'd rather not write out every episode with Stefania somehow butted in, so I kinda skipped around. So I went from General Yeegar's death to their first meeting of Lulu Bell, though they don't know it yet. _

_Also, holy bejeebus! 1,000+ hits! Huzzah! and we're not even ten chapters in!_

_... should I do something special for chapter 10? I've been very proud with my speedy (to my standards) updates, so i'm happy :D Anyway... thank you to all those who favorited, reviewed, and just plain viewed! It's nice to see over 400 people have read this little story of mine, even if only a small percentage actually review/favorite. I don't mind, it's just very motivating to see that nearly 500 people have read it :D_

_*EDIT* D'oh! Shaybo27 brought up a good point! Lenalee is unconscious near the end, meaning she hears nothing Stefania says. T_T Totally forgot to add that critical piece of information!_

* * *

><p><strong>Victim of Fate Chapter 9 – Laughter<strong>

**_Even if there is nothing to laugh about - laugh on credit._**

**_~Author Unknown_**

**...**

"What the hell? Did you just say that General Yeegar is _dead?_" I yelled at Komui who was sitting at his desk, a rare serious expression on his face.

"No, Stefania." He said quietly, "I said that General Yeegar was attacked. He is in critical condition."

"But… Allen and I saw him this-," I cut myself off, eyes widening at the sense of déjà vu.

**...**

"_It's because I'm sad, sweetheart. Grandpa and Grandma passed away."_

"_But… we just saw them this morning!"_

**...**

"Damn it!" I cursed, hitting my fist into the desk, making some materials jump and fall to the floor, "Where is he? Can I see him?"

Komui silently stood up and walked out of the room, motioning to follow me. Allen is right beside me as we walk into a room filled with other exorcists. I gasp, covering my mouth when I see him. Sitting in the corner was what remained of General Yeegar: completely covered in bandages, giving him a mummy-like appearance.

"General… Yeegar?" I asked quietly, taking several hesitant steps towards him. His eyes were crazed and didn't seem to be able to focus on anything. He started to murmur something unintelligible before repeating it out loud.

"**The Lord Millennium is in search of you…**

**Looking for the heart now, have you heard the news?**

**I was not the one he sought,**

**Maybe it is you.**

**Who is it that has my heart?**

**I will find you soon!"**

… was he serious?

What was this?

What the hell was going on?

I looked down at my clenched fists. He was attacked the same day we left. If we had just stayed with him a little bit longer he would be alright. The one man who actually came close to a father-like figure to me…

"Damn it!" I cursed loudly, making some people jump at the sudden sound. It was my fault, after all. I was too impatient to go back. I didn't even _consider_ traveling with him some more; to make sure he was safe! It's entirely all my fault…

"Stefania…" Ary-kun murmured, pulling me into a hug.

"He… was so kind to everyone. He even shrugged off Allen's atrocious table manners…" I chuckled bitterly, "He saved all the finders with him, didn't he?"

"Yes, he ordered his finders to get away." Komui confirmed. I nodded solemnly, not surprised in the least.

"That idiot…" I murmured quietly into Ary-kun's chest, "Even if he was god knows how old, he should've ended his life in a warm bed, not out in the cold rain."

"But he's not dead yet…" Allen murmured, keeping his gaze at General Yeegar.

"Isn't it obvious?" I asked, looking at Allen, "General Yeegar died out there. What's here is merely a messenger."

"That daft old fool died in the rain, Allen. All alone." I said again, returning my gaze to the cadaver of a great man, "He hated the rain. Now I have one more reason to hate it as well."

"_He was a good man, Stefania. I'm sure he's in a good place now."_

"I know…" I whispered, closing my eyes, "I know."

Was this what happens when someone you're close to dies? Was this how I felt when I was little, watching my parents being murdered in front of me? I had already forgiven Ary-kun for that, since I would've died if he hadn't come. It was still traumatizing, to say the least. I can't recall this particular feeling though. This… hollow feeling. Even though my mind was working a hundred miles a minute, trying to sort through all these emotions, I couldn't help but feel empty.

Suddenly, I started to smile. I've no clue as to why I smiled, but I'm proud to say I did. Because that smile quickly turned into a small chuckle, which turned into a soft tinkling of laughter, until i'm literally rolling on the floor, laughing my little ass off. Everyone cracked a smile around me even though the situation seemed hopeless. They quickly started to laugh uncontrollably, clutching their sides in an attempt to stop their laughter. We ended up laughing ourselves for nearly an hour. This was easily accomplished because whenever it looked like we would finally finished someone else would burst into giggles, starting everyone up again. I swear, even Lale began to giggle like a little girl at the innocent sight! Even Bookman, Mr. Old-Killjoy, began to chuckle lightly.

The shell,

The body,

That used to be known as Kevin Yeegar,

Son,

Teacher,

Exorcist,

General,

Father to many,

Died that night,

In a bright, warm room,

Filled with friends,

Filled with happiness,

At 1:13 am.

**...**

"Ary-kun!" I called out into the crowds outside the hotel we were staying at, "Ary-kun! Where'd you go?"

"Stefania, what are you doing out there?" Lenalee called out from inside the hotel.

"I think Ary-kun got lost again!" I called back, "I'm getting worried!"

"Kuro-chan..." Lavi whined from beside me, "Kuro-chan sure is a handful..."

"We'd better find him find fast, considering the Noah Clan has been showing up lately..." Allen sighed, annoyed.

"The Noah Clan..." Lenalee murmured, "I wonder where they'll strike next. I'd rather not lose any more friends..."

Allen and Lavi immediately looked at her with wide eyes while Allen wondered if he should've brought up the Noah at all. Lavi then smiled, however, and smiled up at the sky.

"It'll be all right. We wont let something like that happen." he said reassuringly, looking back at her. Allen smiled in confirmation. I sighed heavily but nodded as well. She looked at us, surprised, before smiling.

"Thank you." she said.

"Tch. Isn't that was friends are for?" I ask quietly, looking at the ground in the opposite direction. Lavi poked my shoulder and smiled slyly.

"Is bozu-chan finally opening up to Lenalee?" he asked mockingly.

"Baka usagi!" I yell at him, slapping him upside the head, "Let's go find Ary-kun now."

We walk around for a while, eventually splitting up. I go with Lenalee -against my will- and we walk around for some time, showing people a basic picture of Ary-kun drawn by yours truly. We walked around for nearly half an hour before someone said they'd spotted them, but something was definitely strange.

"But you were walking with that man earlier..." The man we were questioning said, confused.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, pointing an accusing finger at him, "Lenalee was next to me the entire time!" The man shrunk back, slightly intimidated.

"I remember the man asking you if you felt ill. I remember you were acting quite strangely as well." the man said quickly.

"How did I act?" Lenalee asked, frowning slightly.

"Well, you answered only a few of his questions and when you did you had no emotion in your voice as well as your facial expression." The man explained. My eyes widened.

_"Stefania, I believe there is a copy of Lenalee and there is a good chance that an Akuma lured him away."_

"Aw crap. This isn't good. Which way did they go?" I asked the man urgently. He pointed down the road, where I went bursting off.

"Stefania!" Lenalee cried out.

"Go tell the others to follow me! I'm going on ahead!" I yelled over my shoulder. I activate my Innocence, clutching my flute close to my chest as I ran with all my might. I manage to make it right outside the city limits before I hear Lenalee yell from behind me.

"I've brought them!" She yelled. She held Allen in mid-air with her Dark Boots while Lavi rode on his hammer, both coming at break-neck speeds. Adjusting my own speed, I jump on Lavi's hammer and clutch his waist tightly as to not fall off.

"Listen! There's a fake Lenalee that lured Ary-kun outta the city!" I yelled loudly in order for the other to hear me against the roar of the wind, "We've got to-," I get cut off by a loud scream of anguish from Ary-kun, making my eyes go wide. Was he hurt?

"Down there!" I yelled at Lavi, pointing down towards the ground. In the middle of a large crater stood Ary-kun and behind him the fake Lenalee. Ary-kun looked like he was protecting fake Lenalee from the 2 Akuma. The tentacles of one Akuma forced Ary-kun to hang tightly on them, restricting his movement, while the other Akuma had a wide-open aim.

"Ary-kun!" I screamed loudly. Taking a deep breath, I jumped off of Lavi's hammer, making Lenalee gasp in horror. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying it'll work.

_Come on come on come on come on... please work for me!_

The white cloak immediately came out from behind me, my uniform turning into the white dress and my hard-soled boots turning into white flats that had ribbons twirling up my legs. I immediately sighed in relief before attempting to aim myself at Ary-kun from high above, which wasn't an easy task.

I fall gracefully, my Innocence gracefully billowing around me before covering both myself and Ary-kun, protecting us from harm. Ary-kun looked up, surprised.

"Ary-kun!" I growled in annoyance, "Why are you so gullible?"

"Uh, Stefania! What are you doing here?" he stammered out. Loud crashes are heard from outside the cloak, signifying their arrival.

"Whats it look like I'm doing, Ary-kun? I'm saving your little vampire tushie!" I laughed, relieved he wasn't hurt, "Now man-up and let's join the fight!"

I remove the cloak, bringing my Innocence to my lips while Ary-kun jumped toward the Akuma closest to us. Lavi and Allen were fighting the second Akuma while Lenalee approached the fake Lenalee. I quickly started up a lullaby and sent it towards the fake Lenalee, attempting to make it drowsy, but it had no affect.

The fake Lenalee suddenly lashed out towards the real one, pinning her against the wall. They began to scratch at each other, switching positions on the wall so I had no clue as to which was which. I ran up to the two, both hands on my Innocence and holding it like one would hold a bat.

"Which one am I supposed to hit?" I yell at them.

"I'm the real one!" both of them yell at the same time. Both scowl at each other, resuming their cat fight.

(**Any great ideas?**_)_

Silence.

What a pain! Lale can be really useless sometimes. Maybe all the time.

"Damn it!" I cursed. I finally make a very stupid decision that no one should ever make. I jumped in between them, wrestling them off each other and hold them away at arms length.

"Keep apart until I figure out which is real!" I yelled at the two. Both struggled to get to the other, completely ignoring me.

"I'm the real one!" they yelled in unison, "What? No! She's lying!"

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!" I screamed, making both of them pause, "I swear to god I will knock _both_ of you unconscious if you don't SHUT UP!"

"So aggressive..." I heard Lavi chuckle from his position. I sent him an angry glare.

"Please, Stefania. Go help Allen, Lavi, and Krory. I can handle this." One of the Lenalees says. I grinned maliciously

"There you are!" I exclaimed. I quickly jumped onto the Lenalee that spoke, aiming my Innocence at her head in an attempt to knock her out.

"What are you doing?" She squealed, jumping back.

"I'm knocking out the fake, why'dya ask?" I shot back.

"Why would you think i'm the fake?" She asked incredulously.

"That's an easy one. You use the same honorific with Allen as I do, but you called him Allen." I said with a smirk on my face. I take several steps closer to the fake Lenalee.

"Stefania, look out!" The fake Lenalee said, pointing behind me with wide eyes. I chuckled.

"Nice try, but i'm not going to fall for that one." I said.

"Stefania!" The fake Lenalee yelled again, full of concern. I frowned. Suddenly, I felt a heavy blow to the side of my head, near my temples. I've no clue as to how, but I somehow manage to keep upright.

"...wuh?" I managed to murmur out before sloppily dodging another blow from behind. I kept a hand cradling my head, my eyes narrowing in a failed attempt to keep my eyesight from growing fuzzy.

The Lenalee whom I presumed was the real one kicked out with lightning speed, this time the kick connected with my gut, forcing all the air out. I fall to my knees, trying to catch my breath. The real Lenalee quickly moved in front of me, blocking the next kick with her own. Damn it! Once again I had to be saved by someone else thanks to my stupidity.

The Akuma came and snatched both of them, carrying one Lenalee with each and dashing off in opposite directions. Ary-kun and Allen immediately chased after one while Lavi hung behind a moment.

"Go on ahead," I wheezed, "I don't think i'd be able to hang on. I'll be fine." He nodded succinctly and followed the other Akuma. Still cradling my head, I stand up and look around. Everything is still fuzzy and difficult to see, which didn't help the fact that I had no idea where the town was. I groaned quietly, though the small sound was enough to make me wince. That one nasty kick probably gave me a concussion. Wasn't surprising though, I was getting sleepier by the moment as well.

Maybe I should walk around until I find Lavi... yes, that sounds like a good idea. Maybe i'll find a way out of this god-forsaken desert in the meantime...

I stumbled off in a random direction, trying to think clearly, but it felt as if a blanket was placed over all of my thoughts. I was in the desert because I was looking for Ary-kun. No... that's not right. I was in the desert because I was looking for a vampire. But don't vampires go to ashes in the sunlight? Was I really that stupid? This was a desert! It was morning! I blinked several times, taking notice of my surroundings.

It's nighttime! Maybe i'm going crazy. I stumbled, falling to my knees. My stomach began to heave at the sudden movement and I found myself retching all over the desert floor in seconds. Was I drunk? That's the only explanation as to why I was so damn sick! Since when did I start drinking? I mentally noted to never drink again. I glanced around again, rubbing the side of my head gently.

Good god I was tired! Surely it wouldn't hurt to curl up and take a short nap, right? That didn't sound like a very bad idea but... something kept nagging me at the back of my mind. Maybe I wasn't supposed to sleep yet. Did I have a specific sleeping schedule? No... I was looking for someone... or something. It was awfully warm too, but I had such a nice and billowy dress on, and the cutest shoes! There was also a nice blanket surrounding me... it felt so soft. I smiled absently, petting the soft fur-like blanket.

I shake my head firmly, standing back up. I had to find whatever I was looking for! I racked my brain, trying my hardest to figure it out, but it hurt too much. I let it go, instead letting my mind drift aimlessly as I walked. A flash of light caught my eye and I looked up.

... A green mushroom?

_"I believe she has finally lost it if she truly cannot recognize a tree..."_

The hell? I face-palmed myself, making myself wince.

"I'm going insane. I'm starting to hear voices." I said to myself. I return my limited attention to the green mushroom and begin to walk towards it. At least it was some sort of landmark. I squint to see a red-head leaning over a big green blob until the mushroom.

"'scuze me!" I yelled, starting up a loud pounding in my head, "I need some help!" The red head turned for a moment, obviously startled someone was in the desert.

"Bozu-chan!" the red-head yelled. I scowled at him, stumbling over at him.

"My name is Stefania, baka usagi!" I growl at him as I come closer. I lie down by the green blob in the shade of the large tree, placing a hand on my head in an attempt to stop the pounding.

"Ne, Bozu-chan, you don't look so good." Lavi said, concerned. He leaned a bit closer, his features blurring up as I tried to focus on him.

"You're bleeding." he noted out loud, brushing away a lock of my hair on my forehead. I noticed that the side of my head was warm and sticky, practically gluing my hair to my head.

"Haven't noticed 'till now..." I mumbled, my head drooping.

"Stefania, you have a concussion." he said softly, tapping my shoulder, "You've got to stay awake. I'll treat your wounds in the meantime."

"Lavi... being nice? To me?" I asked, chuckling softly, "I've heard that when you have a concussion you go delusional, but even I couldn't imagine that."

He cleaned the blood off and placed a big white bandage over the wound. I started to giggle uncontrollably as I imagined a large band aid plastered on the side of my face.

"So..." I said after I finished giggling, "Have you found Lenalee yet?"

"She's right next to you." Lavi said. I looked at the green blob in surprise. That was Lenalee? Oops. This'll certainly make an interesting story to tell her later...

"That's a relief." I said smiling, "It'd be a shame to lose her..." I placed a hand on the green blo- Lenalee's forehead and brushed away some hair.

"She's the only female Exorcist besides Miranda that I know..." I murmured, "She's already saved me once. She's a great help. She's kind to everyone. She's pretty. What more could a girl want?"

Lavi stood quiet, listening intently. There was no doubt that he was mentally recording all of this.

"That's why I hated her so much." I whispered bitterly, "It's obvious that everything she does is of good intentions. She's naturally kind and happy. No masks, no nothing. She doesn't even have to _try_. This really grinds my gears." I pulled my hand away, noticing it had turned into a clenched fist.

"I don't _have_ to act so childish. I don't _have_ to fool around and laugh all day. I don't even have to be kind. In a way, I copied Lenalee and the way she did things." I looked away, unable to stand the sight as my vision slowly returned, "I thought 'Hey, if she's what makes Allen happy, then why can't I act like her and make Allen happy myself?' So I changed how I did things. But now i'm doubting that. Was I actually thinking of Allen when I changed, or how much I wanted to be better than Lenalee?"

* * *

><p><em>DUN DUN DUN!<em>

_Lot's of stuff happened in this chapter, it's making my head spin!_

_That confession at the end is some pretty deep stuff, no? _

_Always remember children, concussions make the tongue as loose as any alcohol! _

_I've actually had the _pleasure_ to experience a concussion of my own... not fun. I was babbling about random things the entire time. I had gone from talking about the book I was reading before it happened to what I ate the night before. I explained both in very specific detail. I actually began speaking in Romanian for part of the time, so the hospital staff had no idea what I was saying._


	10. Daydreams

****_Hola amigos! Already 10 chapters into this little story of mine. Once again, I missed the deadline by like, a day. But oh well, I was close. Besides, I'll be having a lot more time to write in the coming week thanks to spring break! Anyone going on vacation? I'm staying home and... writing. Kinda boring, I have to admit, but oh well. Thanks for all the continual support!_

* * *

><p><strong>Victim of Fate Chapter 10 - Daydreams<strong>

_"I don't _have _to act so childish. I don't_have_to fool around and laugh all day. I don't even have to be kind. In a way, I copied Lenalee and the way she did things." I looked away, unable to stand the sight as my vision slowly returned, "I thought 'Hey, if she's what makes Allen happy, then why can't I act like her and make Allen happy myself?' So I changed how I did things. But now I'm doubting that. Was I actually thinking of Allen when I changed, or how much I wanted to be better than Lenalee?"_

…

**I like her because she smiles at me and means it. **

**~Anonymous**

…

An interesting thought came to mind.

"When was the last time I slept?" I asked suddenly, "I feel awfully tired…"

"Keep trying to remember the last time you slept." Lavi instructed, though sounding a bit worried, "Keep thinking about it." I nodded and thought hard. The first time I'd slept while an exorcist was in the train on the way to the Black Order… and I think the last time was on the train while going to meet General Yeegar. I scowled.

"Apparently trains are a very comfortable bed for me." I growled, thinking of trains, "Because I haven't slept since going on the train to General Yeegar. Damn it, I hate trains!"

"I'll keep that in mind…" Lavi murmured, grinning mischievously. We sat quietly, me stretched out against the tree and trying to relax my tense muscles. Lavi kept glancing over at Lenalee, worried. The concussion was making my thoughts go fuzzy and jump into a jumbled pile, infuriating me. I carefully sifted through the thoughts, sorting them so I could understand.

"Where are Allen-kun and Ary-kun?" I asked Lavi. I had just remembered about them. Where were they anyway?

"I'm not entirely sure," Lavi answered, "But I'm positive their fine." I nodded and relaxed back against the tree. A few moments later, the gr- Lenalee groaned and slowly opened her eyes, making me and Lavi scramble over her.

"…where are Allen-kun and Krory?" she asked after a few moments of confusion. Lavi grinned.

"It must be Lenalee! Only Lenalee would care about Allen and Kuro-chan the moment they woke up!" Lavi exclaimed happily. I twitched.

"Can I sleep now?" I complained tiredly, leaning my head on my shoulder.

"Stefania, at least wait until we get back to the hotel." Lavi said, helping Lenalee stand up, "Once Allen and Kuro-chan are finished, they'll meet us there. Besides, you two are banged up pretty bad!" I groaned loudly, standing up. Lavi apparently knew where to go, because he immediately walked into a seemingly random direction, supporting Lenalee as he walked. I jogged to catch up with them.

"_Try not to complain too much, Stefania. You are not in any condition to argue."_

"Oh yeah? Neither are you." I challenged the voice, "You're not even real."

"_Stefania, I advise you not to speak out loud…"_

"Advise me all you damn please, I'm not listening to you." I said stubbornly, crossing my arms.

"_Stefania…"_

"What?" I snapped, "I'm tired, I'm hungry, it's hot as hell, and I've got the world's worst migraine so if you'd just shut up, I'd appreciate it!" Lenalee glanced up at Lavi worriedly.

"Concussion." He explained simply. Lenalee continued to look at me worriedly though. We continued to walk, the sun growing high in the sky. I felt like I was pulling lead weights on my ankles. After a while, though, I started to notice Lavi showing signs of fatigue. He'd probably stuck by Lenalee's side, worrying his ass off, the entire night. I sighed, knowing I'd regret this later. I quickened my pace so it matched Lavi's and put an arm under Lenalee's arms.

"Let go." I ordered Lavi dully, "I'll take her from here." Both of them looked at me in surprise. Me? Helping Lenalee? For them it was unheard of!

"Tch. Lavi, you're exhausted." I explained before Lavi could protest, "You also happen to be our only protection. You'd only be burdened by Lenalee. Don't think I'm actually doing this for Lenalee though." Lavi grimaced, knowing it was true. He leaned Lenalee against me and I struggled for a moment before feeling a burst of new strength, allowing me to easily support Lenalee.

"Thank you, Stefania." Lenalee said, smiling at me. I scowled and looking away. I blinked for a moment, just beginning to realize something.

"Am I some weird combination of Kanda and Lenalee?" I asked aloud, genuinely confused, "Good god, I might be leaning towards Kanda's end!" I gagged inwardly at the thought. Lavi burst out laughing.

"Maybe I should be calling you Yuu~" he jeered at me. I scowled at him.

"My name is Stefania!" I hissed at him.

"Maybe you're a combination of me, Kanda, Lenalee, and Allen! You've got my good looks, the patience of Kanda, the happiness of Lenalee, and the tendency to get pissed off when you're not called your real name, like Allen!" Lavi laughed again, slapping his thigh as he walked. My felt my face twist from angry to horrified at every name.

"That's not even funny Lavi!" I yelled at him, "That would be awful!" my horror-struck face became a big smile as I realized something.

"That's not true…" I said, laughing, "You don't have any good looks!"

"Don't you mean you don't have any good looks?" he retorted, wiggling his eyebrows at me playfully. I gasped and nearly dropped Lenalee in shock.

"Damn you…" I growled at him softly, keeping my head low, "I've got plenty of good looks…" Lenalee was terribly confused, looking at Lavi and I with a blank face. The remainder of the walk was made in comfortable silence. I could feel Lenalee's fever from several inches away, frightening me. I pursed my lips worriedly.

…

I gently placed Lenalee on the bed and pulled the covers over her while Lavi went to get a bucket of cool water and a small rag. Lenalee had gone unconscious nearly an hour beforehand, her body trying to fight off the fever. I pulled up a chair next to the bed and sat down, looking down at her frail figure. It was strange to feel worry for someone other than Ary-kun and Allen-kun, I had to admit. It had surprised me at first that I even cared about the older girl, but I suppose it's out of my control. Lavi walked back into the room, placing the bucket of water on the small bed-side table and placing the damp rag on Lenalee's forehead.

"You're tired." Lavi said after a few minutes of silence, "Go to sleep. I'll watch over her." I shook my head.

"I don't feel tired." I said. It was true. Ever since we'd returned to the hotel, I found myself more alert then I'd been since I had the concussion.

"You were tired earlier." Lavi said, sounding like he was scolding me, "You said it yourself. Now go to sleep." He stared me straight in the eyes, making me a little unnerved. I sighed and plopped down on a couch on the other side of the room. Lavi takes my spot at the chair. I watched as he looked over her worriedly, leaning forward to get a better view of her. I close my eyes and place a hand on my forehead, trying to stop the oncoming migraine. I try to not think, but instead find myself over viewing everything that had happened in the past few days.

General Yeegar's death. Check.

Going on a mission to find Allen-kun's Master, General Cross. Check.

Ary-kun getting lost. Check.

Ary-kun is lured away by a fake Lenalee. Check.

We go to save his sorry ass, only to find we don't know which Lenalee is which. Check.

Fake Lenalee gives me a nice kick to the head, giving me a concussion. Bitch. Check.

Fake Lenalee and real Lenalee are separated and –not knowing which was which- chase after both of them. Check.

I am left behind of the own accord; wander aimlessly until I find Lavi. Check.

Find out Lavi's Lenalee is the real one and a bad illness has overcome her. Check.

Trudge our way back to the hotel where we will now wait until Allen-kun and Ary-kun return. Check.

Are we seriously supposed to just wait here until they come back? I hated the feeling of being useless. I glance drowsily towards Lavi and Lenalee to find Lavi leaning over Lenalee and whispering something. I hear soft sobs from Lenalee, making my stomach twist. My eyelids flutter back down as I'm finally plunged into the black.

…

"_Mummy? What are you doing?"_

"…"

"_Mummy? I thought you wanted to be alone."_

"…"

"_Mummy? Say something!"_

"_Mummy? Why are you looking at me like that?"_

"…_Mummy?"_

"_Mummy! S-stop right there!"_

_I glanced warily at Mummy as she slowly walked towards me. She had her kind smile on her face, the one that made me feel safe, but her eyes looked completely different. They looked mean, evil, and cold. They looked hungry. She was a few feet away from the bed when she abruptly cocked her and turned her ear towards my open door, as if she heard something. After a few moments she shuffled away from my room. I stared, wide-eyed at the door. Loud sounds of vases breaking came from the living room. I jumped out of bed, running into my closet, terrified. _

_I placed my eye against the hole in the closet, allowing me to see into the living room._

_Mummy and Daddy… they're fighting someone… and losing!_

_What's going on?_

_Why is that man fighting them?_

_Why are Mummy and Daddy so still?_

_I uttered a small scream, failing to muffle the sound enough so the man didn't hear it. I scrambled to the back of the closet._

_He's coming._

_He's getting closer._

_He's tall, he's thin, and he's covered in Mummy's and Daddy's blood._

_He's reaching straight for me._

"_Stefania…" the man mutters in a familiar voice._

"_Stefania…"_

"_Stefania!"_

…

I jerked awake, giving a loud startled shriek. I quickly clasp my hands over my mouth, cutting the loud sound off. I glanced over to Lenalee, relieved when saw she hadn't woken up thanks to the screech. I was, however, very pissed off when I saw the chair next to her bed noticeably absent of a certain red head's ass. I sighed heavily and sat down in the seat, looking down at Lenalee in her fever induced sleep. I changed the rag on her forehead every few minutes, never giving it a chance to go warm.

"_The audacity of that boy… he broke his promise and left the poor, sick child alone!"_

_(_**I know… but Lavi probably left for a good reason.**_)_

"_Are you so sure about that? The girl could've died in his absence! That boy is either a fool or cares naught for either of you."_

_(_**No… I can't see Lavi doing something like that…**_)_

"_All I am saying, my dear Stefania, is that you should be more careful around that boy. I am not going to show you what I've seen of him because I know it will break your heart. That boy has witnessed terrible things and did nothing to stop it…"_

_(_**You're telling me not to trust Lavi? Are you insane?**_) _What the hell was wrong with her? Lavi was like an elder brother to me! Besides, I still don't see him doing any of those things. Lavi is kind… not like Lenalee, but in his own way. He can get really annoying, but he's not a bad person. He's trustworthy, I'm sure of it.

"_Would you like proof, my dear Stefania, of how cruel your precious Lavi can be?"_

I stiffened, eyes widening. What the hell was going on? Why was she acting like this?

"_My dear Stefania, the only thing, in my eyes, that even compares with Innocence is the truth. I can feel all those emotions inside of you. The only reason I offered the proof is to show you the truth about that boy, nothing more. As human like to say… _the truth will set you free._"_

"G'morning Sleeping Beauty!" Lavi's voice called from behind me. I nearly fell out of my chair at the sudden voice, being pulled from my disturbing conversation with Lale.

"Someone's a bit jumpy today, ne?" he said teasingly.

"Wasn't a certain somebody supposed to watch over Lenalee?" I glared at him, tapping my foot expectantly. Lavi immediately went serious.

"I had to speak with Panda-jiji. We're to go to his location immediately." Lavi reported.

"We can't do that!" I protested, "Lenalee's too sick! There's no way we can travel while she's like this."

"That's the reason we have to go, Stefania. Lenalee will die if we don't get to Bookman soon." Lavi said gravely. I glanced over at Lenalee's sick form, clenching my fists.

"Fine." I hissed, "Let's go now. The sooner, the better."

We packed up quickly and left. I picked up Lenalee and made her ride piggy-back, which was no easy feat for me. She was an awful lot taller than me, after all, but I had to let Lavi have his hands free in the case that we were attacked. We made our way into a large canyon, not very far from Bookman's location, but Lenalee was getting worse. I could feel her shallow breathing growing worse by the hour. Lavi had just helped me and Lenalee up a large ridge when a girl's scream was heard.

"Stay here." Lavi ordered, running around the corner. I growled and picked up Lenalee, peeking around the corner. Lavi apparently saved an absentminded maid named Mimi.

"Thank you so much for saving me!" she practically shrieked, walking up to Lavi, "I don't know how to thank you. You've saved my life, my nose, and my breasts!" I sighed heavily and walked out from behind the rock.

"_That girl is an Akuma. Be very wary."_

_(_**Just be quiet. I shouldn't trust you. You are still a Noah, even if you're not part of the family.**_)_

"Hey Mimi. My name's Stefania and the ill girl is Lenalee." I greeted. Mimi turned to me, eyes wide.

"Please forgive me! Your friend saved my life from a terrible monster! Please allow me to travel with you and serve you until we get out of this canyon!" Mimi said, walking up to me. I blinked.

"I don't see anything wrong with this." I said after a few moments, ignoring Lale's hissing protests. I was going to watch her very closely, but she was not threat for the time being, "Just don't get in my way."

Mimi gratefully nodded and began to walk with us down the canyon. She brought out a large fan and began to fan me.

"This is the least I can do!" she continued to pipe.

"Fan Lenalee, I'm fine." I growled to the girl. Mimi gave an apology and immediately began to fan Lenalee. Lenalee, being the nice person she is, smiled and thanked the girl.

"You aren't looking terribly well…" Mimi said, "Don't you think we should take a break?"

"I'll be fine…" Lenalee said weakly, slumping down on my shoulders. I stopped and glanced at her worriedly. She looked like death itself!

"We're taking a break." I said, my tone final. We stopped and I rested Lenalee down against the rock wall while Lavi went to get a fresh wet rag from the lake. I sat down next to Lenalee, closing my eyes enough for me to still be able to see, yet look like I'm asleep. Lavi came and placed the wet rag on Lenalee as I watched Mimi scream and jump into the water. Lavi looked back, Mimi looking sheepish.

"I'm sorry! I slipped!" she whined. Slipped my ass…

"Be careful." Lavi said, helping Mimi out of the river. Mimi pulled Lavi into the water. When they emerged, Mimi was holding a fresh fish and looking triumphant. Lavi whined about being wet before making a fire for Mimi to cook the fish.

"Dinner's ready, Master!" Mimi called out, holding a plate a fish to Lavi as he wrung out his uniform.

"I didn't ask." Lavi said.

"This is my first time cooking for a man…" Mimi said, "After this, we'll fall in love, get married, and have a wonderful family with lots of children! Oh my, wouldn't that be wonderful?" I sweatdropped at the idea.

"No way." Lavi said, brushing it off.

"Please, eat up, for our future's sake!" Mimi said, walking up closer to him. She screamed and tripped right in front of him, the plate and fish flying into the sky. Lavi used his hammer to catch both while Mimi dove towards him. What the hell was this Akuma playing at?

She rock-climbed up the wall to pick a flower for her mistress, yet got stuck up there. Lavi had to get her down and she began to sulk before looking determined again. I sighed, glancing at the dusk sky. I made a bed for Lenalee and tucked her in. She continued to get worse, her fever increasing.

"Do you think Allen-kun's alright?" Lenalee asked a while later into the night, "If you hadn't been lured away by that demon, we wouldn't have gotten separated from Allen-kun and Krory. I've made nothing but trouble for you two. I'm so sorry."

"It's fine." Lavi dismissed, "You should worry about yourself for now."

"Please." Lenalee pleaded, placing warm hand over Lavi's, "If I slow you down any further, leave me and go." Lavi placed his hand over Lenalee's.

"I'm taking you to Gramps. I'll get you there, no matter what!"

"Lavi…" Lenalee murmured.

"She's asking you to leave her." Mimi said, "Why don't you do so? She doesn't want you to take her, so why should you? Self-sacrifice will not necessarily help the one you're trying to save." I grabbed Mimi roughly by the front of her dress and lifted her a few inches in the air though she was taller than me.

"What the hell do you think you're pulling, huh?" I asked her angrily, "Just abandon Lenalee? Ha! Is that some kind of _joke _to you? Well guess what. No one's laughing."

"Oh!" she said, "What am I saying? I'm sorry, it wasn't my place. Perhaps I'm just sleepy. I'll go wash my face!" she scrambled out of my grip and towards the river. We both watched and she scurried out of sight. I growled silently in her direction. We moved on several minutes later, Lenalee retaking her previous place on my back. The sky grew even darker as rainclouds and thunder moved in from the distance.

"I'm sorry…" Lenalee murmured again.

"Don't worry about it." Lavi said.

"Looks like rain." Mimi commented. I gave her an unimpressed look. Stating the obvious much? Rain quickly began to pour down. Rock began to tumble from the wall to our left as the rain battered down. Lavi's eyes widened.

"Mimi, Stefania, run!" he said, pushing us forward. I immediately sprinted forward, Lavi and Mimi right behind me. The wall from behind us broke open, letting water flow freely. Lavi pushed us into a small crevice.

"Let's hurry." He said, picking up Lenalee and placing her on his back. We continued to walk, but the mud was beginning to make the walking tough.

"Lavi…" Lenalee murmured, "Leave me and go."

A large wall of water appeared from around the wall in front of us. Lavi quickly covered Lenalee so the water would hit him instead. I scrambled to get to Lavi but slipped in the mud and was hit by the large wall of water. I accidentally took a breath of water, filling my lungs with the stuff. I scrambled around, trying to get to the surface, but with no luck.

Finally, the water thinned out and I took a great big breath of heavenly oxygen. I coughed harshly. Once I finished, I lifted my head to find no one around me. I grasped my Innocence and activated it, using the wall to help me walk back. I spotted several Akuma overhead and lifted my Innocence to my lips to find my Innocence wouldn't work. I kept trying, but all that came out was water.

"_It's no use, my dear Stefania. Your Innocence is water logged."_

"Damn it!" I screeched loudly, my throat giving out at the end. Why am I so _useless _in the time I am needed the most? I couldn't stand it! I made my way back to find… no one. Where the hell were they? They couldn't have possibly have gone on without me.

"_My dear Stefania, please hurry on. The Akuma girl is chasing after the boy and ill girl!"_

I scrambled, running as fast as I could without slipping in the mud. Once I reached them, both Lavi and Lenalee were lying on the ground, Lavi having a metal rod stuck under his left shoulder blade. He quickly pulled it out.

"Lavi, get out of here while you can." Lenalee said to him, "Please. I don't want you to die for me…"

"Lenalee…" Lavi said, eyes wide.

"It's no use trying to run." Mimi said, holding her metal fans, "I'll just kill you anyway." I lifted my Innocence and tried to strike Mimi from behind. She gripped my wrist a few inches from her head and smiled back at me.

"There's no way you'd get away with that!" she giggled. Lavi looked at me wide-eyed.

"Get to the old geezer!" I yelled to Lavi, "I'll be fine! I'll meet up with you there!" he sat frozen for a moment before grabbing Lenalee into his arms and dashing away.

"They're never going to make it!" Mimi said, smiling. She combined her fans and threw it towards them, hitting the walls of the canyon and blocked their path with falling rocks. Lavi was forced to stop. Mimi threw her fans again, heading straight towards them. When the dust cleared, only rocks remained.

"All finished!" she said, deactivating her fans. I stood there, shocked.

"_I'm sorry, Stefania. This is what happens when you don't trust me. This is what happens when you wait for something to turn into a threat."_

I didn't respond. I felt… numb.

"_My dear Stefania, you can avenge them. They were good people, and you know that better than anyone. They were your friends."_

I started to tremble, making Mimi notice me again.

"Aw, are you scared of me? I killed your friends, after all." Mimi said, smiling at me, "Look at you! You're trembling!"

I clenched my fist tightly around my Innocence, drawing blood.

"Mimi…" I muttered quietly, keeping my eyes to the floor.

"Yes?" she asked. I looked straight into her eyes; she gasped and took several steps back.

"No!" she shrieked in terror, "It can't be!"

"I'm going to kill you!" I screeched, lunging towards Mimi. Pure fury fueled my actions, making my vision a hued-red. I let go of the flute in my hands, letting it drop to the ground, and gripped her neck instead. She started to claw at my hand, but failed miserably. I looked her straight in the eyes, making her struggle and attempt to look away. I knew she couldn't die from suffocation, considering the only thing that could kill Akuma was Innocence, but she would still feel the pain of suffocation for a lot longer than a human.

"Stefania!" I heard a familiar voice call out. In my surprise, I let go of Mimi and turned to the voice.

"…Lavi?" I whispered, shocked, "But… you're dead." I looked at Lenalee, who was in his arms, and saw her activated Dark Boots. A huge relief slumped over me. Lavi threw a part of Mimi's fan at Mimi, who was still too weak to dodge.

"How's it feel to be done in by your own weapon?" Lavi said. Mimi screamed in frustration and lunged towards Lavi, knocking both of them back. Mimi gripped the fan in her back and pulled it out.

"That doesn't even make any sense!" she says before narrowing her eyes, "The woman's Innocence… I can't believe she was strong enough to jump." Several Akuma appeared behind Mimi. I got my Innocence back into my hands and ran around to join Lavi and Lenalee.

"This is the end, though." Mimi said, activating her fan, "Good night."

A huge rain of needles flew down onto the Akuma behind Mimi, killing all of them. I looked up and saw Bookman standing on the ridge above us.

"Gramps!" Lavi called out, surprised.

"How dare you interrupt at such an inopportune time?" Mimi demanded. Bookman jumped down.

"You were about to get your asses kicked there!" Bookman scolded, "We've got to get her treated, and quickly! You take care of the rest of them." He handed Lavi's Innocence to him. I quickly took hold of Lenalee.

"Thank goodness I happened upon the Akuma that was holding it." Bookman said.

"I'll thank you later, Gramps!" Lavi said, activating his Innocence. He killed the Akuma, but Mimi got away.

"Not good enough…" Bookman muttered. Lavi fell to the ground, exhausted.

"Lavi!" I cried out. I gently placed Lenalee against the rock wall and ran to his side. He gave me a goofy smile.

"Is the princess going to kiss me awake?"

"Damn it, I'm going to kill both of you idiots once you get better." I said, though my voice contained no malice.

…

"The treatment is complete." Bookman announced after several hours of working on Lenalee in the hotel, "All that's left is to wait for Miss Lena's strength to return."

"Thank you so much." Lenalee said, smiling up at Bookman.

"Take care of her, Gramps." Lavi said, "I'm gonna get some rest." Lavi moved to walk out of the room.

"Lavi, Stefania." Lenalee called, making Lavi stop and make me look up, "Thank you for protecting me to the very end." Lavi left the room without responding. Lavi had suffered a broken arm, which was now in a sling. I, however, only suffered a few minor bruises here and there.

"He thinks he's so cool." Bookman commented.

"It's all right, he's just being shy." Lenalee said with a smile, falling asleep. I sighed heavily and pulled up a chair next to Bookman.

"Those idiots…" I muttered, looking down at Lenalee's sleeping form, "I thought they were dead for a moment."

Why was I speaking with Bookman? He stays silent while he's recording something is why. Not only am I venting feelings, but I'm also giving food for thought to Bookman. Win-win if you ask me. If this continues on like this, then my future therapist would be proud of me.

Bookman stayed silent, intently examining nothing. Not that I had a problem with that.

"As you might've guessed, I don't take to people killing my friends in front of me quite lightly."

"Ah, but you were irrational." Bookman said.

"Irrational? What'dya mean?" I asked, confused.

"Tell me, did you see any blood on the rocks?" Bookman asked.

"No." I blinked.

"How about on the Akuma's fan that killed them? Was there any blood on that?" he asked.

"No…" I mumbled.

"My point exactly." He concluded, "You are pessimistic at the worst times possible."

"It's not my fault… besides, aren't we supposed to expect the worst?" I asked Bookman.

"Expecting the worst and being pessimistic are two different things entirely." Bookman said.

"Whatever…" I huffed. Why exactly didn't I expect Bookman to be the cryptic type?

"You're better at being silent than giving advice." I pouted, "Now I have more questions than answers and I feel monumentally worse."

"I am a Bookman, not a miracle worker." Bookman said blankly.

"Aw, c'mon Gramps!" I giggled, punching his shoulder and effectively pushing him off his stool, "Lighten up! Besides, you're the only adult figure on this trip. Aren't I supposed to believe you're a miracle worker?"

"No, because then I would be lying to you." Bookman huffed, returning to his seat, "You are an Exorcist. Exorcists have no age limit. Age isn't an important factor in your line of work."

I pouted, "Yet all the adults are still high and mighty; reluctant to put us into battle."

"That is merely a protective instinct." Bookman said, "All humans feel the need to protect their young, just like animals."

A sly smile spread across my face, "So, you're admitting that you're human after all?"

…

Omake #2

"Kiss my ass!" I screeched at Lavi.

"Gladly." Lavi smirked. I paled.

"I didn't mean it that way, damn it!" I stammered.

"Then why'd you say it?" he asked, leaning towards me.

"Eh, because some people might get a StefaniaxLavi vibe from this chapter?" I suggested lamely. Lavi's mouth dropped open in mock horror.

"You're cheating on moyashi?" he announced loudly. The cafeteria around us grew quiet and people turned to look at us.

"Shut your fat mouth!" I hissed at Lavi, "Besides, it's not true! I don't like you one bit, you're annoying as hell!"

"Isn't it usually the ones whom you despise that you love the most deep inside?" Lavi asked, blinking innocently.

"Stop getting philosophical on me and shut up." I pleaded weakly, giving up and hitting my forehead against the table.

"_Lover boy won't be pleased…"_

I growled and smacked my head harder against the table.

Shut up.

Shut up.

Shut up.

_Please,_ whatever higher power is out there, get me away from these _idiots_ I call my friends.

* * *

><p><em>Oh noez! It appears that sensible Lale is beginning to show a more evil side!<em>

_Is she going to become a problem in later chapters?_

_Will she continue to give comments on who she should trust?_

_Will she eventually show Stefania Lavi's past or the past of the rest of her comrades?_


	11. Catharsis

_Oh my god! The amount of fluff in this chapter is unbelievable! Nearly made me wanna cry myself..._

_Shortest. Chapter. Ever. Barely got to 2,000 words, but it's a sorta transitional chapter. Thanks to all that reviewed!_

* * *

><p><strong>Victim of Fate Chap 11 – Catharsis<strong>

**...**

**A hug is an amazing thing**  
><strong>It's just the perfect way<strong>  
><strong>To show the love we're feeling<strong>  
><strong>But can't find the words to say...<strong>  
><strong>~Johnny Ray Ryder, Jr., "A Simple Hug"<strong>

**...**

"You idiot! Ary-kun, how could you?" I screeched at Ary-kun who was trying to cower behind his covers.

"Please, calm down!" Ary-kun cried.

"Calm down? Calm down?" I yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Ary-kun, "What do you mean calm down_?_ I find you two, unconscious in the snow, Allen severely injured, and you're telling me to _calm down? _ Honestly! It's been only 48 hours since I thought Lavi and Lenalee both died and then I see you two! Ha! Is that some kinda sick joke? Don't you know how worried sick I was? How all of us were? You probably would've died if Tim hadn't found and brought us to you!"

"Miss Stefania, I would like to remind you that this is a hospital and there are other patients here." Bookman scolded quietly. I growled at him but lowered my voice though it came out as an angry hiss.

"What was it that I heard from Allen-kun? You _gave up_? You can't just give up! Don't you know how hard we've worked to become exorcists?" I hissed at him who was lowering his head in shame, "All for some illusions in the snow."

I sighed and dropped the angry act. I looked up at him, giving him a small smile.

"Thank you." I said quietly. Ary-kun looked up in surprise.

"Huh?" Lavi toned from the side, confused.

"For what?" Ary-kun asked.

"Thanks for not giving up in the end." I repeated, my voice growing a bit cracked, "I honestly don't know what I would've done without you or Allen-kun." I walked forward and burrowed my face into Ary-kun's chest, careful not to wrap my arms too tightly around his bruised ribs. I breathed in deeply, trying to remember the last time we'd hugged this closely. I began to chuckle as I breathed in his smell.

"You still smell like mint and roses, Ary-kun." I commented, "What a lovely scent."

"You still smell like rain." Ary-kun said.

"I hate rain as much as I hate trains." I replied dryly, "But I can see why I smell like water. Not only did I trek in the desert for nearly two full days and a night, but I also had to trek through a canyon with Lenalee on my back."

"You helped Lenalee?" Ary-kun asked, mildly surprised.

"Of course I did, you big idiot." I huffed, "Why so surprised?"

"Oh, no reason." Ary-kun said quickly, "It's nice to see you've finally opened up to her is all."

"How would you know anything about opening up?" I said, my voice teasing, "You're the big bad vampire that was stuck inside a castle for nearly twenty years."

"Touché…" he murmured, chuckling softly. Honestly, the big ol' lug would open up to pretty much anyone, even though he was extremely shy. I was happy, the happiest I'd been in a long time. Mostly because Ary-kun was finally acting like he was before Eliade came. It was probably selfish, but I enjoyed being the center of Ary-kun's world. But really… who _didn't_ enjoy that?

"So, where we goin now?" I asked.

"We will be heading to the last known location of General Cross together." Bookman said, looking over some maps casually, "At an inn in a port town in China."

"There really is no rush…" Allen said, chuckling nervously, "We can talk more about this after we recover."

I tsk'ed, "Allen-kun, you'll be up in a jiffy. Probably be ready by tomorrow if Bookman puts in his best efforts."

"Oh… how wonderful…" Allen mumbled, slumping in the bed.

"Oh c'mon, General Cross can't be that bad." I said, "He probably had a specific reason to the way he did things… right?"

"That man was a true demon!" Allen growled, mood growing considerably darker.

"Heh, I'll be the judge of that once I see him, Allen-kun." I stopped right before he ranted on, "Besides, it shouldn't be too hard to find him."

"That man has been able to avoid the Order for years." Allen mumbled, "It'll be like finding a needle in a haystack with his fleeing skills…"

I snorted, "Are you so sure about that? I bet I'll be the first to find him and bring him in!"

"Yes, you can lure him with your good looks!" Lavi exclaimed happily, grinning widely at me, "Provided by moi!"

"You baka," I growled, "I told you, I don't get my good looks from you. If I did, I would look awful."

"So harsh!" Lavi said, placing a dramatic hand on his forehead, "I can feel the hate pounding into my skull!"

"I don't hate you," I laughed, "Hate is a strong word. Let's just say you can easily piss me off." Ary-kun gave me a pointed look, making me groan loudly.

"Ary-kun, I'm not some kid anymore!" I whined, "I'm nearly fifteen!"

"You're fourteen?" Lavi exclaimed, looking a bit shocked.

"Yeah, what of it?" I hissed, daring him to continue.

"Well… I uh…" Lavi chuckled nervously, "kinda thought you were younger than you look…"

"Don't. You dare. Say it." I said, voicing a warning before turning back to Ary-kun, "Anyway, I'm not some kid anymore. I deserve some sorta freedom with what words I choose!"

"You are fourteen, not forty." Ary-kun scolded. I sighed heavily and looking down at the ground.

"I'm sorry Ary-kun… it's just…" I mumbled, biting my bottom lip. The mood immediately went somber. Everyone looked pointedly at Ary-kun.

"I mean… yes!" he scrambled, trying to comfort me, "You can say as you please!" I smiled brightly up at him, satisfied by my acting.

"You're the best, Ary-kun!" I squealed, hugging him as tight as his ribs could handle.

"So, you said you bet that you would be the one to find him and bring him in." Lavi said casually, inspecting his hand, "What if you fail? What if I bring him in? What do I get?"

"I solemnly swear never to yell at you again." I promised, taking up the bet, "Maybe I'll even give you a couple of favors, free of charge." Lavi smiled slyly, pleased.

"And me?" Allen asked, "I want to bring that bastard in more than you do!"

"I'll let you get first pick of the food when we get back." I said, grinning widely. He grinned back at me, happy with the idea. I turned to Lenalee.

"If you bring him in, I'll let you take me out into the town." I said, "You can do as you please with me for one entire day, no arguing in my part." She blinked at me.

"You really mean it?" She asked in disbelief. I smiled widely at her.

"Just don't get too overboard."

"… _You shouldn't be making promises that you cannot not keep."_

_(_**I fully intend to keep these promises, thank you very much.**_)_

…

My eyes fly open and I clutch my stomach, feeling it twist and turn into a knot. A terrible feeling overcomes me. I can't remember what woke me up, but I do remember one fleeting word.

_Mana._

I slowly calm my breathing down and sit up, glancing around the room. It's still dark out and I can faintly see Lenalee's sleeping figure on the other side of the room. I bite my lip, unsure of what to do. After contemplating for a few seconds, I silently swing my legs over the edge of the bed and stand up. I tip-toe out of the room and into Allen's and Ary-kun's, only to find Allen's bed empty. I tip-toe out of the room and onto the porch outside, surprised to find Allen there.

"Did you have trouble sleeping too?" I whispered to Allen, sitting down next to him. He looked up at me, a bit surprised.

"Yeah." He whispered back. I glanced up at the stars as a comfortable silence went between us. I realized that the last time I'd really looked up at the stars was the night Allen-kun and Lavi came to our castle. I could still remember it like it was yesterday really. Then again, it wasn't all that long ago. The knot in my stomach grew, almost to a painful level.

"Hey, Allen?" I asked tentatively.

"Yes?"

"Do you have a feeling… like something really bad is going to happen?" I whispered, frowning at the stars.

"Not in particular…" he said.

"Well, I do. I don't know why, but it feels absolutely awful." I mumbled, biting my lip, "I don't think I'll be able to relax for a while."

"Hey, Allen?" I asked again, "Do you know who Mana is?" Allen immediately stiffened and glanced at me, surprised.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Mana was a sort of… father to me." He said quietly, "I turned him into an Akuma when I was younger." I bit my lip.

"I'm sorry…" I mumbled to him, "I didn't know." He smiled brightly at me.

"It's alright." He reassured. I gave him a small smile back and returned my gaze to the stars. Wasn't it also somewhat my fault my parents became Akuma? My Mother wanted to be left alone when really, that was the worst possible thing to do. Would she have stayed normal if I stayed with her? Was I not enough? I sighed heavily, banishing the thoughts from my mind.

"Allen, what'll we do when we find General Cross? Will we bring him back to HQ or just be his bodyguards?" I asked Allen.

"I think we're supposed to bring him back to HQ, though that'll be very difficult knowing Master." Allen muttered, "He will most probably just dump all of his debts on us and run away." I wrinkle my nose in distaste.

"That won't be any fun, now would it? Chasing after General Cross is much more fun than paying off bills." I giggled.

"I personally don't see a difference in the two…" Allen muttered to himself. I bit the inside of my cheek hard. It felt as if the ominous feeling was overwhelming me. It didn't make any sense! It's not like there were any Akuma nearby because Allen would've sensed it with his eye. So what exactly was making this awful feeling? I wrapped my arms around my legs tightly, placing my cheek on my knee. Allen looked over at me worriedly.

"Are you alright?" he asked. I blinked up at him, my eyes growing unusually blurry.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked him. He leaned closer and used his hand to wipe the area under my eyes.

"You're crying, Stefania." He whispered, lifting his hand so I could see the wetness. I quickly felt around my eyes and found he was right.

I was actually crying. I hadn't noticed it at first, but it became abundantly clear now. Tears threatened to burst through as I hugged myself tighter, trying to keep it all in. I shut my eyes, trying to stop the flow of seemingly endless hot tears. I felt warm arms encircle me and bring me close. I looked up at Allen, my eyes snapping open. He smiled gently down at me.

"It's all right."

Good god, those words were like magic, immediately starting the sobs throughout my body. I hugged him tightly, burrowing myself inside his embrace, as I continued to cry. He murmured reassurances and rubbed the small of my back, doing his best to comfort me.

"I t-thought… they h-had d-d-died!" I wailed into his chest, my nails digging into his back as I tightened my grip.

"I know…" he murmured.

"You have no c-clue how s-scared I was when I saw you and Ary-kun-" I choked before I could say it, "Both of you looked l-liked you were d-d-"

"I know…" he cut me off. I gratefully took his comfort, staying in his arms while my sobs slowly subsided. The crying session, however, left me completely drained of energy. I could barely move.

"I'm sorry…" I mumbled before the darkness of sleep completely overcame me.

…

I felt myself be picked up by strong arms. I could feel the comforting up and down motion as he walked inside. I smiled slightly, feeling so warm and comfortable. I breathed in deeply, smelling… mitarashi dango. The arms gently set me down on a soft bed, pulling the covers over me. After a moment of hesitation, a soft pair of lips kissed my forehead.

"Good night, Stefania." He whispered before walking out of the room. I snuggled into the covers, a soft smile on my face, as sleep found me once again.

* * *

><p><em>Oh. My. God.<em>

_I'm never going to be able to go to sleep now, I feel like I'm on a sugar high._

_Posting this at around 2:10 AM because as I was lying in bed, waiting to fall asleep, this gem of an idea came up._

_The wonders of spring break, eh? Anyway, hope you liked this chapter, even though it was pretty much a filler. R&R is greatly appreciated and makes my world round!_


	12. One After Another

****_This chapter will be interesting. Enjoy!_

* * *

><p><strong>Victim of Fate Chap 12 – One After Another<strong>

**...**

**An ounce of blood is worth more than a pound of friendship. **

**~Spanish Proverb**

**...  
><strong>

I yawned and sat up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I glanced drowsily over at Lenalee's bed, only to find it empty. I threw my legs over the side of the bed, yawning again. Jeez, I had a great night of sleep. Wonder wh-

Oh fuck.

Oh god.

Oh… this is bad…

Images of the previous night flew through my mind as I groaned. He _kissed _me. He kissed_ me_! Well, it was only on the forehead, but still!

He _kissed _me!

What the hell was I supposed to do? I've never had someone kiss me before. I mean honestly, I haven't even seen boys my age except when the village boys back at the castle would dare each other to touch the front gate. I hadn't even talked to a boy near my age until I met Allen-kun and Lavi. What was I supposed to do? Act like nothing happened? Is it supposed to keep a secret or am I supposed to boast about it? No… boasting is bad. I have a feeling that wouldn't run well with Lenalee… besides, I had just gotten chummy with Lenalee. She actually kinda likes me now. There's a chance we can actually be friends, which I think would be real nice. Boasting about Allen… is there some sort of girl-code? Never boast about relationships with guys that your friend likes?

I groaned and fall back onto the bed, covering my face with the pillow. Why is love so damn difficult? When will it be just simple?

"_I don't think you and lover boy will ever be 'just simple'"_

_(_**A girl can dream, can't she?**_)_

"_A dream can turn into a nightmare in a blink of an eye, my dear Stefania."_

_(_**It's always a cup half-empty for you, huh?**_)_

"_I am merely a very realistic person, my dear Stefania."_

I huffed in annoyance and quickly got dressed, putting my hair up into a pony-tail. I opened up my window to let the fresh, warm morning air fill the room. When I stood in front of the door, however, I found I couldn't open it. I didn't have the courage to face Allen-kun and the others yet, which annoyed me greatly. After about ten minutes of just standing in front of the door, my hand slowly reached towards the handle.

"Mew."

I spun around, nearly jumping out of my skin when I heard the soft mew from behind me. Sitting on the windowsill was perhaps the tiniest cat I had ever seen. Well… I'd never even seen a cat before except in books, so how was I supposed to know how big they'd be? This one looked like it could fit in the palm of my hand. Maybe it was a kitten? It looked like a small, white, furry snowball. I took several slow steps towards it, trying not to provoke it. It, however, merely started licking its paw and cleaning itself. My heart immediately melted at the sight and I smiled softly at the kitten.

"Hey little guy…" I murmured softly, kneeling to meet the kitten eye-to-eye. The kitten stared back at me, hazel eyes flashing in curiosity, "Where did you come from?"

It mewed at me again, almost demandingly. I slowly lifted a hand and used my pointer finger to gently scratch behind the kitten's ears. It purred in delight and pushed its small body against my hand, practically begging for more. I chuckled softly and continued to scratch the kitten. I stood, almost entranced by the sight. Here was this adorable little furball, actually brushing up to _me!_ I'm not sure why it felt so strange, or rather, why it made me so happy. Didn't I read somewhere that petting an animal reduces stress?

It mewed at me, once again, demandingly. I blinked.

"Do you wanna be scratched more?" I whispered, afraid I would startle the kitten. It stared at me, "Are you hungry? Do you want some fish? Some milk, maybe?" it continued to stare at me uncomprehendingly. I sighed softly and gently picked up the kitten, which didn't fight against me. Cradling the kitten, I slowly walked out the room as to not jostle the small animal.

"Good morning Stefania!" Allen greeted as he saw me walk into the kitchen. He paused and blinked at the kitten, "Where did you get the kitten?" I set the furball on the table gently and grabbed a bowl.

"He came into my room this morning." I said as I filled the bowl with warm milk. Allen did a combination of a nervous chuckle and a cough.

"Actually… _she_ came into your room this morning." He corrected me. I blinked before scowling at him.

"How was I supposed to know it was a she?" I asked him, annoyed at my own incompetence. I kept my voice low so the kitten wouldn't be startled. I placed the bowl of milk on the table and watched as the kitten gratefully lapped it up. Lenalee walked into the room as Allen's face grew red, stumbling over his own words. Lenalee's face immediately melted into a warm smile as she slowly made her way up to the table.

"Where in the world did you find this kitten?" she cooed as she watched it, "She's so adorable!" The cat in question began to purr as she drank her milk. I mentally smacked my palm against my forehead.

"This furball is going to be spoiled, I already know it." I mumbled as I started scratching her behind her ear's again.

"What should we name her?" Lenalee asked, "Her fur is the color of Allen's hair." I chuckled, just noticing how similar the two shades were.

"Both are small and both have white hair." I joked, "Think it's safe to name her Moyashi?" Lenalee giggled and Allen hung his head at the nickname.

A loud crash was heard from upstairs, making everyone stare in the direction of the stairs. Moments later, a very sleepy-looking Lavi was being pulled by his ear by Bookman down the stairs.

"Panda!" he whined, "I wanna sleep s'more!" Bookman backhanded Lavi with a book that appeared, seemingly, out of thin air.

"Stupid apprentice!" Bookman yelled at Lavi. He looked over to find the kitten staring right at him. Both of them stared at each other before the kitten seemed to shrug and return to her bowl of milk. He turned to Lenalee.

"You understand we cannot keep an animal with us during our travels, Miss Lena." He said blankly. I ignored the fact that he addressed Lenalee and stepped closer to Bookman, furious.

"That _animal_ showed up at my window not ten minutes ago." I spat at him, defending the small kitten, "Can we come up with a compromise, because we are keeping him."

"Miss Stefania, we cannot be bothered to look after an animal while-," Bookman started before I cut him off.

"We are keeping him." I grit through my teeth, crossing my arms and glaring him down. Another battle of wills started. Like hell I was going to let this kitten go! I stared into his eyes, stubbornly refusing to move.

"Dun dun… dun dun… dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun~!" Lavi whispered dramatically, reaching a crescendo. I ignored him, careful not to snap.

"She is your responsibility." Bookman announced after what seemed like hours of staring each other down, "The cat must get its own food from now on." I squealed in joy.

"Aw, Bookman, hidden somewhere in that large library of knowledge in your noggin, there is actually a book on feelings and the heart after all!" I said happily.

"An interesting analogy, Miss Stefania." Bookman commented. I shrugged.

"What else am I supposed to compare your mind to?" I asked, "You're _Book_man for crying out loud!"

"What a dusty library that is…" Lavi muttered. Bookman backhanded him again with the large book.

"Better dusty than empty." Bookman said calmly. Allen-kun and I snickered while Lavi shrieked in outrage. Ary-kun appeared at the table, seemingly out of nowhere. He paused and looked at the kitten.

"Good morning. Why exactly do we have an animal on the table?" he asked.

"It's a kitten and we're keeping him!" I announced proudly. The kitten looked up at Ary-kun and mewed. Ary-kun's eyes went wide.

"This ani- kitten is not running away." He said, sounding surprised, "Most animals run away at the smell of me."

"This one's special!" I exclaimed, "We haven't decided what to name her yet."

"Stefania was thinking on naming her Moyashi because of how similar their hair colors are." Lenalee piped in. Ary-kun looked between the two and nodded.

"I believe you should shorten the name so we don't confuse the two." Ary-kun said.

"But-!" Allen butted in before being cut off Lavi.

"I vote for Moya!" Lavi said cheerfully.

"Moya sounds nice…" I said, tapping my chin thoughtfully, "She looks like a Moya to me."

"Moyamoya means puff of smoke in Japanese!" Lavi added.

"Puff of smoke…" I said, "She's more like cotton than smoke."

"I like Moya as well." Lenalee smiled. Ary-kun nodded in agreement.

"Majority rules." I announced, picking up Moya, "Your name is now Moya." Allen-kun huffed in exasperation, hanging his head down once more.

"Fair enough." Bookman said simply, sipping at his tea. I smiled at Allen-kun, desperately hoping it wasn't a terribly mistake.

"You don't mind, do you?" I asked him, cocking my head slightly. He looked up and blushed furiously.

"N-not at all!" he stammered, "Moya is a… wonderful name."

"Glad you like it!" I exclaimed, setting Moya back down on the table. Our landlady, Miss Kokini, appeared in the doorway. She was a pleasant old woman who allowed us to rent a room for the night.

"Would you young people like some breakfast?" She asked, smiling up at us (she was shorter than Bookman!). Allen-kun immediately nodded, his eyes growing wide at the thought of food.

"I'm so sorry, but Allen-kun and I have appetites to beat out a small county's." I apologized in advanced as Miss Kokini made a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs, and pancakes.

"Oh no, It's no problem, my dear child. I enjoy cooking for others." She assured me, "If you really feel bad about it though, would you like to help me make breakfast?"

"Thank you, I appreciate it." I thanked, "What would you like me to do?"

"I believe we will need more eggs, so I am sending you out to the general store to go purchase some." Miss Kokini instructed me, "All you have to do is speak with Mr. Harunik and tell him Mai sent you." She gave me the required money and sent me off.

"Alright Allen-kun, let's go!" I said, grabbing Allen-kun's sleeve and dragging him out the door.

"Why do I have to go?" he exclaimed.

"Because you're the other half of the appetite, that's why!" I hissed, releasing my grip. I smiled and waved back at Miss Kokini who was chuckling at the sight before walking down the road. We walked in awkward silence for several minutes before I spoke up.

"You won't tell anyone about last night." I said, biting my lip nervously.

"… not even Krory-san?" Allen asked. I made a face.

"Especially not Ary-kun!"

"And if someone asks?"

"Just… tell them we talked."

"What if they heard?"

"Well, they can piece that together quite nicely, now cant they?" I huffed, kicking a rock on the road, "They're smart people. They'll figure it out eventually."

"Then why not tell them now?" Allen-kun asked. I looked away nervously.

"Oh yeah, what are we supposed to say?" I laughed humorlessly, "'Last night I broke down in Allen-kun's arms and he proceeded to comfort me and then tuck me into bed! Oh but don't worry, I'm a-okay now!'"

"You've got a point…" Allen-kun sighed.

"_My dear Stefania, it is now time to be blunt with lover boy."_

_(_**Eh?**_)_

"Hey… Stefania?" Allen-kun asked nervously, "Would you like to grab some lunch while we're in town?" I burst into laughter. He paled.

"W-what? Did I do something wrong?" he asked, terrified.

"No b-but… oh g-god I can't breathe!" I choked out, wrapping my arms around my waist as if it could stop me from breaking a rib, "There are two things that are interfering with that plan. The first is that Miss Kokini sent us out to get ingredients for _breakfast_ and you ask if we should get some lunch while we get the ingredients!" Allen cracked a smile.

"I can see the problem with that…" he chuckled, "What's the second thing?" I immediately stopped laughing and looked at him seriously.

"We're lost." I dead-toned. He looked around in surprise and, sure enough, it looked as if we were heading further into the wilderness rather than the town.

"Those idiots didn't stop us! They knew well enough that both of us have horrible senses of direction and get lost easily and they still let us go on our own." I began to scowl, "I'm going to kill them if we get back."

"When we get back." Allen-kun corrected.

"Nope, pretty sure it's a big fat if." I shot back.

"But can't we go back the way we came?" Allen-kun asked. I shook my head.

"Allen-kun, did you notice if there were any crossroads, because I wasn't paying any attention." I asked him. His eyes widened in understanding.

"This is not good…" he moaned.

"No shit Sherlock." I mumbled. What a way to start the day, eh?

"_I believe I can be of some assistance…"_

_(_**Well, don't be shy. Assist us!**_)_

"… _but I have decided against it.)_

"Why you little…" I growled under my breath.

_(_**You're having fun watching us squirm, huh?**_)_

"_What kind of a woman do you think I am, my dear Stefania?"_

In frustration, I punched a nearby tree and immediately regretted it. I cursed under my breath and cradled the now sore hand. What would we do now? Should we just sit here and wait for someone to come and ask for directions? Should we go in the direction we think is best? Why was it so damn easy to get lost?

"Alright, here's what we're gunna do." I said to Allen-kun, "We're going to just keep following the road and hope we find a town, if not, we're gunna go camping."

"_This will go well…"_

(**You're the one who wouldn't help us in the first place, so you have no right to say anything!**_)_

I stomped off down the road, hearing Allen-kun scramble to catch up.

…

"What a pain…" I whined several hours later. We had been walking the entire time and it was now well past mid-day, "We're never going to reach a town!"

"Don't worry Stefania, I'm sure someone will come by soon." Allen-kun tried to comfort me though it sounded like he was trying to reassure himself instead, "Let's just keep walking; I'm sure we'll find a town sooner or later."

"I hope you're right…" I grumbled, slapping a hand on my neck in an attempt to kill a mosquito, "What's up with the bugs here? They're absolutely vicious little buggers!"

"I suppose it's just the climate…" Allen-kun replied, swatting away a bug that settled on his nose. His stomach growled loudly as he placed a hand on it, "I don't think I can take it anymore! I'm starving!"

"Maybe we can find some fruits or something around here…" I intoned. I walked off the road and began looking at the treetops in an attempt to find something… anything to eat, "Allen-kun, stay on the path so I can find my way back!"

"Stefania…"

"What? There aren't any Akuma 'round here, so there should be no problem!" I yelled back, swatting a large leaf out of my way, "Besides, better one of us than both of us lost!" I looked up and smiled widely at the sight. A large tree filled with colorful fruits! I could probably climb it…

I cracked my knuckles and began scaling the large tree. I carefully gripped the bark and winced whenever I grabbed too tightly, cutting my hands. I only almost fell once, which I think was an accomplishment. I heaved myself onto a branch that looked like it could support my weight and glanced around for the closest looking fruit. I grimaced when I saw the closest fruit available. It looked as if it was just out of my reach, but I could get it if I leaned forward some. Inching over the edge of the branch, I reached towards the fruit while my left hand kept me steady. Just a few more inches… almost there…!

"Stefania!"

I jumped in surprise and accidentally let go of the tree, falling down towards the ground. I desperately flailed my arms to try and grab a branch, but only succeeded in scratching my hands and arms. I hit the ground on my back, knocking the breath out of me. I laid there for a moment, catching my breath, and feeling around for any serious injuries. I sighed in relief before remembering Allen-kun yelling my name. I scrambled to my feet and ran in the direction of the road.

"Allen-kun!" I yelled back, afraid something bad had happened, "You alright?"

"Stefa-" his voice was cut off, as if someone had gagged him. I ran faster, bursting through the trees and onto the road. I looked around in confusion, seeing two men holding Allen-kun up. Behind them were a caravan and two horses. A young woman and two children, a boy and a girl, were gazing out fearfully.

"What the hell is going on here?" I yelled at the two men, marching up to them, "Let go of Allen-kun!" The men stared at me with wide-eyes, as if they had seen a ghost. Surprisingly, they let go of Allen-kun, who slumped to the ground. I darted forward, taking hold of Allen-kun, and dragged both of us a safe distance away from the men. Allen-kun, thankfully, was only trying to catch his breath.

"Mind telling me what you were doing attacking Allen-kun?" I asked the men, glaring at them. The little girl jumped from the caravan, her eyes wide and smiling in delight, and dashed towards me. The young woman, who I thought was their mother, called after her in distress.

"Marny, come back here this instant!" she yelled. The little girl, Marny, ignored her and hugged me tight. I blinked down in surprise.

"Um, hi." I said lamely. The girl looked up at me, tears in her blue eyes despite smiling madly.

"I knew you'd come back!" she cried happily, "Uncle Kenny told me so many stowies about you! You look even pwettier in person! Why'd you save the big bad demon? Whys he got a name? Is he yous pet? "

"Excuse me?" I asked, confused. The young woman pried Marny from her death-grip and smiled apologetically at me.

"I'm so sorry; Marny has always been a very… imaginative child." She apologized. I narrowed my eyes.

"So, why exactly did they attack Allen-kun?" I asked, nodding towards the two men. Allen-kun immediately widened in his eyes in surprise.

"Oh no, Stefania, I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding!" he pleaded, "It wasn't their fault!" Of course Allen-kun would say that…

"Damn it Allen-kun, you're too nice for your own good." I sighed. The two men were whispering rapidly to each other for a few moments before one of them jumped into the caravan. He reappeared moments later with a sheet of parchment and walked towards me.

"Excuse me, but are you Carmen Theodorescu?" he asked, his bright blue eyes flashing in inquisition. I narrowed my own eyes in apprehension.

"Who's asking?" I asked. Allen-kun looked at me, confused. I ignored him.

"I knew her mother, Elisa." The man said sadly, "I was good friends with her, actually. I've known her since we were just little kids."

"Why are you asking me, then? Surely you wouldn't ask some random stranger if they were your friend's daughter." I questioned, "Besides, what proof could you possibly have?"

He handed me the folded piece of parchment.

"I'm sure it seems a bit loony but, Elisa asked me to watch over her daughter if anything happened to her and her husband." He said. I unfolded the sheet of parchment and forgot how to breathe. It felt as if everything around me grew quiet and still instantly. My eyes were locked on a painted portrait of a mother kissing her little girl, whom was smiling happily. There was a large forest and castle in the distance. I glanced back up to the man with the achingly familiar eyes.

"Who are you?" I whispered, horrified.

"My name is Dani and I am a monkey's uncle." Dani gave me a large toothy grin. I stared at him in shock for a moment before promptly passing out.

* * *

><p><em>That was fun. <em>

_R&R makes my world round!_


	13. Wonderful Reunion, Don't You Think?

**Victim of Fate Chapter 13 – Wonderful Reunion, Don't You Think?**

**...**

_"Who are you?" I whispered, horrified._

_"My name is Dani and I am a monkey's uncle." Dani gave me a large toothy grin. I stared at him in shock for a moment before promptly passing out._

...

**Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family. Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted. **

**~Paul Pearshall  
><strong>

...

The first thing I noticed as I slowly drifted into consciousness was the large, itchy, wool blanket covering me. It irritated me immensely because it felt like I was being baked in a hairy oven. I couldn't move because the incessant rocking motion of the caravan made me feel like I weighed a thousand pounds. To make matters worse, there was the most irritating buzzing noise that droned on an on.

"Think it's really her? You know, the girl Uncle Kenny told us about?" a young boy's voice asked as the buzzes cleared out.

"But she doesn't wemember..." the little girl sniffed.

"So what? She was _kidnapped_, remember? Remember that one kiddie we helped out who got away from some slave traders?"

"But she's diff'went! She wasn't hurt at all!"

"You're so stupid, numb nuts! She doesn't remember, so she might think that the scars she had were from a childhood accident or sumthin!"

"But I didn't see any scaws…"

"She's probably hiding them under that shitty uniform of hers!" a gasp was heard.

"Gabe, you said a bad word! Besides, it's not nice to say that…"

"Tch, what are you gunna do? Tell on me? Besides, it's the truth. It looks like she rolled in the mud with the pigs; smells like it too."

"What did you say, you little brat?" I hissed as I opened my eyes, "It's not too smart to insult a girl when you're right in front of them."

"Mama!" Marny shrieked, peeking through the covering of the caravan, "She's awake!"

"Baby, make yourself useful and help me up." I grunted to Gabe who was sitting right next to me.

"What'd you call me?" he snarled. I grinned, confusing him.

"Gabe, Gabie, Baby, easy. Besides, you don't deserve your name for being so mean to your sister." I said happily, "Not to mention you insulted a young woman right to her face." Marny began to giggle from behind me, not stopping as she propped me up.

"MOM!" Gabe yelled, poking his head through the covering on the caravan, "I don't think it's her! She's way too rude!"

"Hey!" I yelled back, "You're the one who called my uniform shitty!"

"Young man, what do you have to say for yourself?" his mother scolded. He scowled and glared at the ground.

"I'm so sorry," Allen-kun called from the front, "she's crabby when she wakes up."

"That's not true!" I snarled, "I am not crabby when I wake up, I feel perfectly fine!"

"…point taken." Allen-kun mumbled.

"Whatever…" I groaned, crawling over to front of the caravan. I pulled away the covers to find it had turned dark. Allen-kun was sitting next to the children's mother while the other man and Dani sat at the reigns, taking control of the horses.

"I don't think I introduced myself properly." The young woman said, holding out her hand, "My name is Penelope Richter and the man holding the reins is my husband, Dani. His brother, Kenneth, is sitting next to him." I shook her hand.

"My name's Stefania, nice ta meet'cha." I smiled at Penelope, "The appetite of half a small country that is sitting next to me is named Allen Walker."

"Hey!" he protested.

"It's true and you know it." I said, smirking. He grumbled as Penelope laughed.

"Yes, I already know Allen. He introduced me as you were… resting." Penelope said. I gazed over at Dani whom was being poked by his brother, trying desperately not to let go of the reigns as Kenneth repeatedly jabbed his ribs.

"I wonder who that reminds me of…" I mumbled, recalling a certain red-head and his tendencies to get in my personal space.

"So, how old are Baby and Marny?" I asked Penelope, who chuckled at the nickname.

"Gabe is nearly ten years old while Marny is six." She replied, looking at them fondly.

"It's a shame the boy isn't a gentleman like Allen-kun." I giggled, "Maybe let his hair grow out like Allen-kun's. His brown hair and blue eyes would stop the hearts of any of the ladies."

"No way in hell I'm touching any of them cootie-infested she-devils!" he yelled from inside the caravan.

"Language!" Penelope yelled back at him. He grumbled an apology.

"Marny is also quite adorable... I'm sure she'll become a beautiful young woman when she's older." I mused, smiling inwardly.

'_If she gets older…' _a small part of me whispered. If she gets older? What do you mean if she gets older? There was no way in hell either of them would be dying under my watch. They were way too young to die. Too young, too naïve, too-

"_Innocent. I believe you're starting to adopt my ways of thinking, my dear Stefania."_

_(_**Does it matter?**_)_

"_Only if you see it as such. Protecting the Innocent with your life is a noble gesture, my dear Stefania. Many people will see you as a friend or perhaps a hero."_

_(_**That'd be useful… it's nice to have connections. Especially with how much I travel nowadays…**_)_

"_Very good, my dear Stefania."_

A pat on my backside brought me back to reality. I spun in my seat to see Baby with his hand out-stretched, a small smile on his face.

"Oi! You little pervert!" I yelled at him, "You don't tap a lady's ass, you little butt-munch!"

"Stefania, I don't believe that yelling at him will solve the problem…" Allen-kun said anxiously.

"Yes, because I know exactly what will." I said, a mischievous smile crossing my face. He yelped and skittered backwards into the caravan at the sight of my smile. I launched myself towards him, knocking him onto the floor of the caravan. He tried to scramble away from me, but I was quickly on him, tickling the crook of his neck, his sides, his armpits, and the bottoms of his feet. He kept squirming, trying to get out of my assault, but quickly succumbed to the attack.

"N-no! Stop! I can't b-breath!" he huffed in between laughs which, of course, made me tickle him more.

"Never!" I laughed.

A small body jumped on my back, knocking me down besides Baby.

"Quickly Gabe! Get her!" Marny screeched, starting her own tickle attack on me. Marny had somehow found a stray feather and was tickling my nose with it.

"Marny, that's for making people sneeze!" I wheezed out in between giggles, "Allen-kun, save me! They're killing me!"

"Nope." He said, smiling happily as he looked at the battle, "Have fun!"

"Traitor!" I yelled at him as Baby grabbed hold of my feet to stop them from knocking him down.

…

Allen smiled softly as the shrieks and giggled were heard from inside. Penelope looked at him worriedly.

"She's quite impulsive, if you don't mind me saying." She said to him. Allen chuckled.

"It's no worry, Penelope. She has always acted this childish." Allen smiled sadly, "It's been a while since I've heard her laugh like she had no cares in the world."

"From what you've told me, it's not very surprising." Penelope said, "You're in the middle of a war. It's unavoidable."

"It doesn't stop me from wanting to make her happy." Allen sighed, frowning slightly, "I'm worried about her." Penelope smiled warmly at him.

"I know exactly what you're going through, my dear." Penelope chuckled, "It's called love. That is as unavoidable as war." Allen smiled sheepishly, recalling just the other night what he had done.

"Allen-kun, save me!" Stefania cried desperately from inside, "They're killing me!" He looked in and smiled brightly at the sight. The children, Stefania's cousins, were tickling her. She was on the floor, desperately trying to squirm away with a large smile on her face. Tears threatened to fall as she continued to laugh madly.

"Nope." He said smugly, "Have fun!"

"Traitor!" she yelled from inside as Allen shut the flap. He chuckled softly again. The giggles began to slowly die down.

"I had never thought that she would be so happy like this." Penelope said, smiling sadly, "We thought she had died a long time ago with her parents."

"What happened to her parents?" he asked. Penelope motioned a cross before clasping her hands tightly together in her lap, a strained look on her face.

"Stowy pwease!" Marny squealed from inside, interrupting Penelope's answer.

"But I don't know any stories…" Stefania said, trailing off, "Actually, I know a great story! Would you like to hear it?" he could hear the smile behind her voice.

"Duh!" Gabe said from inside.

"Once upon a time, there were two brilliant doctors who loved each other to death. Together, they had a girl and moved to a village near a huge castle."

"What was the girl's name?" Marny asked excitedly.

"What do you want her to be named?" Stefania asked.

"Name her Lily!"

"Lily it is then. Lily's parents were well known for being the best teachers in the area, making them very successful. Her grandparents joined them, for their bodies had grown old and frail. Her parents provided them with a steady pension so they didn't have to stay cooped up in their house and get their own. Together, the little family lived happily for six whole years. Everything was normal until one sunny afternoon…"

Marny gasped, "What happened?"

"Don't interrupt her!" Gabe hissed.

"Two men walked out of the town's clinic at around mid-day when they were attacked by a vampire." Vampire? Wait… was she…?

"Oh no!" Marny gasped.

"Both of them died, murdered in plain sight."

"Those poor men!" Marny cried.

"Not even a week later, a doctor and three of his patients were also killed by that very same vampire."

"I don't wike this story…" Marny mumbled, sounding like she was about to cry.

"Don't be a cry baby!" Gabe reprimanded, successfully hushing her up.

"By now, the entire town was terrified of the vampire. One morning, Lily and her parents visited her grandparents. On the way back to town, however, they got news that they were found, collapsed on the floor."

"Were they dead?" Gabe asked.

"Yes, they were dead. Nobody really knows what happened to them, but some say both had heart attacks when they saw the vampire."

"They saw the vampire?" shrieked Marny.

"You interrupt again and I'll rip your tongue out!" Gabe yelled at her.

"Baby, you even think about doing that and I'll rip _your_ tongue out." Stefania warned, shutting Gabe up as well.

"Now back to the story. Lily's grandparents had been close with her parents, so their deaths hit them hard. Lily didn't really understand that they could just be dead. She, however, understood that her parents were in pain, and wanted desperately to help them. The girl's mum thought it would be best to have some alone time that night."

"Wait a minute…" Gabe mumbled.

"If they're alone they'll become-" Marny started

"Akuma!" Gabe finished. They looked at each other, horrified. Stefania stared at them, surprised.

"Lily better not leave her parents alone!" Marny said worriedly.

"Of course she wouldn't leave her parents alone, you insane or something?" Gabe growled at her, "Lily would never leave her parents alone with that git running around! She doesn't sound stupid enough to do that." Allen bit his lip nervously. If this really was about Stefania…

"Well, to be fair, Lily's mum told her to leave them alone." Stefania said, her voice strained.

"Lily said she wanted to help, right? Well then she should've known better than to leave them alone, even if that's what her mum wanted." Gabe argued.

"Must I remind you that this is a story, Baby?" Stefania reprimanded Gabe.

"As I was saying, the girl allowed her parents to have time to themselves which, as you both know, is quite deadly…"

…

Allen peeked inside after the whispers died down, being able to easily see in the dark thanks to all of those years with Master Cross. He smiled softly at the sight. Stefania had her head propped down so it lay against her chest while the two children were on either side of her. Gabe had his arms crossed, mimicking Stefania, while Marny had her head in Stefania's lap. All were breathing deeply and in rhythm, indicating they were asleep.

"All we knew was that her parents were dead and she was gone." Penelope said quietly, fiddling with her hands, "Dani was absolutely devastated when he'd heard the news. I helped him through it all I could."

"Allen m'boy! How would you like to learn how to drive a caravan?" Kenneth called from the front, "I'm dreadfully bored by this old brother of mine; no fun when he's tired!" Allen swapped places with Dani, allowing him to retreat back to his wife and rest.

"Alright Allen, driving horses is quite simple. All you need is five minutes of instruction by yours truly and you'll be able to drive this baby blindfolded anywhere!" Kenneth laughed, "Now, to start pick up the reigns and-" Allen picked up the reigns and easily adjusted his grips to ensure they wouldn't slip off. He easily drove the caravan as Kenneth gaped.

"You're no fun either!" Kenneth pouted childishly, "Can't I play teacher for but a few moments?"

"I'm sorry, Kenneth. It's just when I was with Master I had to take up many jobs to get money." Allen explained, smiling a bit sheepishly.

"Oh please, Alley-boy, call me Uncle Kenny." Kenneth insisted, "Kenneth is much too serious a name! It certainly doesn't suit me. Imagine how my mother felt when she saw me balancing on the fence back home!" he slapped his knee, chuckling madly, "It was simply priceless! I was only three at the time, of course, so she had every reason to worry." Allen chuckled.

"I've just realized that was nearly 40 years ago!" Kenneth put his head in his hands, groaning pitifully, "I'm growing old…"

"40 isn't too bad…" Allen said, awkwardly patting Kenneth on his back. Kenneth snapped his head up suddenly.

"Right!" he yelled, pointing to the right road they were about to pass. Allen skillfully turned them just in the nick of time, but not without jerking the caravan.

"Excuse me for yelling so loudly right behind you, Dani, but it's extremely important." Stefania apologized from behind before cupping her mouth and yelling straight at Allen, "Allen-kun, GIVE THE MAN THE REIGNS! YOU STINK!"

Kenneth burst into laughter, "My my, isn't my niece such a charmer?"

"Don't forget subtle!" Dani laughed.

"How could I possibly forget? Subtle is her middle name!" Kenneth chuckled, setting the two off again before they both were hit upside the head.

"Good lord, Dani, I believe all women are the same these days! Your Penelope isn't even related to Stefania and she's passed it on!" Kenneth groaned.

"I'm telling you, they're plotting against us. We're just their lackeys!" Dani rubbed his sore head, pouting childishly. Allen burst out in laughter.

"It's not our faults you two are idiots." Stefania and Penelope dead-panned simultaneously. Dani glanced over at Kenneth, whose eyes were wide in horror.

"Is it a disease women pass between themselves?" Kenneth asked, terrified, "They're all the same!"

"More like a disease of stupidity among men." Stefania laughed before quickly adding, "But not you, Allen-kun!" Both men glared at Allen-kun, who smiled sheepishly.

"What's he got that we don't?" Dani moaned, "My own niece thinks I'm an idiot!"

"Youth, my dear elder brother!" Kenneth declared, "If we had _Allen-kun's _pretty face…" Allen grimaced. _Pretty face?_

"No, he's a gentleman." Stefania huffed, crossing her arms, "Not everything is about looks, you know."

"Goodness gracious, my dear Dani, I believe we've struck a chord with our little niece!" Kenneth smiled mischievously.

Allen's eye activated, startling Kenneth. He instantly began to scan, spotting a large group of Akuma to their right and heading straight for them.

"Get down!" Stefania screamed, her voice desperate. Allen activated his Innocence and began to shoot down the nearest Akuma, leaving Stefania to get the others to safety.

…

I quickly grabbed Gabe and Marny and threw them onto my back.

"Hold on if you value your lives." I muttered harshly to them, my voice dead serious. They both whimpered but hung tighter to my shoulders. Gabe looped his arm around his younger sister to make sure she didn't fall as I dashed out of the constricting caravan.

"Dani! Kenneth! Penelope! Follow me into the forest and do _exactly_ as I say!" I ordered them. Kenneth immediately began to run after me but Penelope sat there, frozen in fear, making Dani stop and force her out of her shock. I sprinted into the undergrowth, carefully watching the skies for any incoming Akuma. Marny began to cry softly, absolutely terrified.

"Don't let the Akuma get us, nee-chan!" she cried, clutching my neck tightly.

"Don't worry, Marny…" Gabe murmured into her ear, trying to comfort them both, "She won't let anything happen to us… we'll be fine…"

I activated my Innocence as I ran and clutched it tightly, preparing myself for any sudden attack and for good reason too. I had less than a second to react as I heard the guns of a level one Akuma go off to my right. Desperately, I jerked the two off my back and under some brush nearby, out of sight, and threw myself to the ground. The bullets whizzed dangerously close to my foot but exploded far off into the forest.

"Ex-orr-cissst…" it wheezed, making me hesitate for a moment. How could it possibly be making any sort of sound? Level one Akuma couldn't do that unless... it was close to becoming a level two.

"Shit!" I cursed, quickly jumping to my feet. I'd have to finish this fight, and fast. Level two Akuma were a bitch to deal with, especially with someone like me…

I began to raise my flute and almost had it to my lips when Marny stumbled out of her hiding place.

"Don't hurt her!" she shrieked, her tears streaming down her face as she pointing accusingly at the Akuma. Gabe grabbed her wrist and began to pull her back, but it was too late. The familiar _clink_ of the Akuma's guns sounded through the forest as it shot a bullet towards the helpless children.

No.

No!

NO!

I had lunged towards the two when it all faded to black.

"_Do not worry, my dear Stefania. I've everything under control…"_

* * *

><p><strong>(AN)** _Uh oh. I can honestly say that I don't have an excuse for this one. I could say school, but really, I didn't do crap for school. I started this chapter the moment I posted the last chapter and ended it right before I'm posting this, over a _month_ later. Very, very bad on my part. I beg your forgiveness! I thank all of my reviewers for, well, reviewing, as well as showing a buncha support! I really appreciate it, though I feel like I'm not giving you enough in exchange for it, which it probably true. Gomen!_

_Until next time! Which hopefully is soon!_


	14. Cursed Eyes

**Victim of Fate Chapter 14 - Cursed Eyes**

* * *

><p><em>I began to raise my flute and almost had it to my lips when Marny stumbled out of her hiding place.<em>

_"Don't hurt her!" she shrieked, her tears streaming down her face as she pointing accusingly at the Akuma. Gabe grabbed her wrist and began to pull her back, but it was too late. The familiar__clink__of the Akuma's guns sounded through the forest as it shot a bullet towards the helpless children._

_No._

_No!_

_NO!_

_I had lunged towards the two when it all faded to black._

"Do not worry, my dear Stefania. I've everything under control…"

…

**For I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright,**

**Who art as black as hell, as dark as night.**

**~William Shakespeare, Sonnet 147**

…

Penelope quickly stumbled through the forest, arm being pulled by her husband as they chased after Stefania. _Our only hope, _she thought sadly. _Someone so young…_

Dani stopped abruptly, making her accidentally bump rather painfully against his back and almost knock them both down. He had his wide eyes trained right in front of them and when she followed his line of sight, she gasped in horror. Stefania stood in front of the large, balloon like Akuma with a blank look on her face, though a small smile was beginning to appear there. Her eyes were shadowed by her hair, blocking them from her view. Marny and Gabe were huddled on the other side of her, Gabe protectively shielding his little sister with his body. But even that wasn't what really horrified her. No, far from it. What horrified Penelope was that Stefania had her arm outstretched and her hand held the _Akuma's deadly bullet_.

"Stefania!" cried Gabe, terrified.

"Don't worry…" Stefania said, her voice sounding much older and overlapping slightly, as though several people were saying it, "Her body will not be harmed." She crushed the bullet in one hand with ease as her smile grew wide. The hair from her eyes parted slightly, and Penelope could see an eerie gold glow coming from within the shadows.

"Foolish Akuma," she spat out, the strange voice dripping with venom and contempt, "You dare attack her family?" The Akuma is question began to slowly float away, as if frightened, "Don't run away from me, weakling! Look into my eyes and receive your punishment!" The Akuma's face began to contort in pain as it looked into her glowing eyes. Penelope had never known that Akumas could even _feel_ anything, so what was she doing? Her niece began to chuckle softly, her laugh growing stronger and insane until she laughed manically to the sky, back arched.

Gabe spotted the adults and began to stealthily pull the wailing Marny to the brush they were hiding in. Penelope frantically waved them over; afraid of what might happen if the _thing_ that had consumed Stefania were to see them. The laugh abruptly stopped and Stefania immediately locked on the children's location when Gabe accidentally snapped a stick on the forest floor. Gabe froze, Marny still in his arms, as Stefania stared deep into his eyes.

"You…!" she growled, her eyes murderous. Gabe began to scream and dropped Marny, gripping his head tightly.

"Please stop! I beg you, stop!" he gasped between sobs, "NO! I didn't mean to hurt her! Please! I didn't mean it! I was just joking! I didn't know she would fall!"

"What kind of Innocence is this?" Stefania asked, her voice disappointed and angry, "This isn't Innocence! Torturing your younger sister? Tormenting her to the point that she cried? Pushing her hard enough to break an arm when she fell to the ground?" she spit on the ground in contempt, "It makes me sick to my stomach watching the terrible things you've done to your sister. You don't deserve your little sister. The one who's always there for you, and supports even though you treat her like that! What kind of older brother are you?" Gabe cried loudly, attempting to scratch at his eyes.

"Stop!" Penelope cried, pushing Gabe back so she stood in front of him, "Stop hurting him! He's just a child!" Stefania immediately locked her gaze onto her eyes, making her involuntary freeze in terror.

"Stop…" Penelope cried weakly, falling to her knees with her hands pulling at her hair. The images… why did it do that? Reliving her worst memories, memories of contempt and anger, of weakness. Why? WHY? _WHY?_

"PLEASE!" the blood-curdling scream echoed through the forest, "_STOP THIS HELL!_"

…

"Let me out of here, you stupid, goddamned, fucking traitorous _**BITCH!**_"I shrieked, pounding against the walls of the room which refused to budge. It wasn't a large room, about the size of a normal bedroom, and it was quant enough. The colors on the walls were bright and there was a table and chair in one corner. On the table was a glass vase with a white daisy sitting in it. There were even windows with light streaming through them and a soft, imperceptible wind blowing the white curtains. What was beyond the windows, however, was a completely different story. They showed different images of what appeared to be Gabe's and Penelope's worst moments whenever I looked through them. I dared not break the windows, terrified of what might happen if I did. How convenient it was to have a room with _no fucking door_.

"Damn it, I swear to god, I'm going to strangle you with I get my hands on you!" I yelled at the top of my lungs, trying to get her attention, "Show yourself, you coward!"

It's not fair, damn it! She can get to my body whenever she wants to and I can't do anything about it! Why had I been so stupid? She's a Noah, I mean, honestly. I actually began to _think_ like that woman! I actually began to _trust_ her, even after the Lavi incident! Was it her Noah abilities or something? Was I _really_ accepting a Noah into my head or was I being manipulated somehow, something that made me feel comfortable and safe when she was around and commenting on just about everything. The part that horrifies me the most is that I can't believe she actually did that. I keep making up excuses, even though the real thing is right in front of me. I'm actually trying to _defend_ her, even now…

I stopped pacing for a moment and punched one of the walls in frustration, drawing my attention to the window next to it. It'd stopped showing Gabe's and Penelope's pasts, and now showed…

_Allen. _

Without hesitating, I jumped through the window and fell down into the unknown.

Big, big mistake.

…

Allen jumped between Penelope and Stefania, letting Dani pull her back into safety. Stefania's eyes were glowing gold and she had a disgusted look, marring her beautiful (no point ignoring it now) face.

"Stefania," he breathed, his voice growing tight, "What are you doing? Why are you hurting your own family?" She tch'ed like Kanda and cocked her head, narrowing her eyes.

"They deserve to be punished," She said after a moment, her voice sounding layered as if two people were speaking at once, "Don't you see? They're all guilty, all of them. They make me sick. They make me want to scrub every part of my body until all that's left is raw skin. They are dirty, disgusting creatures, and nothing will be able to change that, lover boy." Allen narrowed his eyes. There was no doubt about it. This was not Stefania. The gold in her eye and the speaker of her voice made it perfectly clear the Noah was taking her over. She took several steps forward and Allen raised his gun, aiming it at her.

"Stop, or I'll shoot," Allen said, his voice hard. She chuckled, her voice singing like bells, but continued to walk forward. She gripped his chin and pulled it close to her, so they saw eye to eye.

"I know you won't shoot her, you are her lover boy, of course." She laughed again, as if she'd made the funniest joke, "You wouldn't have the guts to shoot, admit it. You're weak, boy, so very weak. You weren't able to save poor _Mana_ and you turned him into an Akuma. You can't save any of your precious friends, little boy."

"That's not true!" Allen spat out, "I will always be there to protect my friends, no matter what!" She scowled and gave him a cold penetrating glare, pulling his face closer to her's.

"Why aren't you helping Stefania, then?" she asked, her voice quiet. Allen's eyes widened in horror, "If you're always there to protect your friends, then why aren't you protecting her? She needs your protection, and yet here you are, blabbering to little old me." Her voice began to rise, "Why aren't you helping her, lover boy? Isn't that what it means to be loved and to trust someone? You're not helping her! _GO AND HELP HER, YOU DUMBASS!_" she slapped Allen hard on the cheek, sending him tumbling to the ground. She stomped down on Allen's stomach, the heel of her book twisting, "You're pathetic. You're not good enough for her! You-!"

Allen grabbed a hold of her boot, surprising her into silence.

"Stefania…" he mumbled, wiping a bit of blood that was leaking from his mouth, "Snap out of it. You're hurting me, your friend. Please, Stefania. Snap out of it before it's too late!" Suddenly, she hissed loudly. Smoke was coming from the Innocence around her neck and it looked as if it were burning her skin. She frantically tried to rip it off, but the flute continued to burn.

"No! Stop it!" she shrieked in fear, eyes wide, "I still have to-," Stefania fell forward and landed on the ground with a dull thud.

"Stefania!" Allen cried, scrambling over to where she lay. He gently rolled her over, placing her head in his lap. Her face was scrunched up in pain, but the Innocence stopped burning. He mumbled to her again, "Stefania, are you alright?" She winced and groaned in pain, slowly opening her now blue eyes. He sighed in relief. She was back.

"Thank God, Stefania, I was so worried-!" he exclaimed before cutting himself off as he saw her face. It was twisted with horror and her eyes were wide and glazed as she looked into his. She began to tremble uncontrollably and her breath grew ragged.

"Stefania?" Allen asked worriedly, "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"I…" she mumbled, her mouth agape and gasping. She shut and covered her eyes with one hand while her mouth bit hard on the other, muffling the sound of her scream.

"Stefania!" Allen exclaimed.

"Don't look at me… please…" she groaned, "I can see it…"

"See what, Stefania?" Allen asked, afraid for her.

"Everything, Allen. I see _everything_." She squeaked, burying her head in her arm and beginning to sob softly.

"Nee-chan!" Marny cried, tears rolling down her face as she launched herself into Stefania, "Nee-chan!" she burrowed her head into Stefania's neck and began to sob loudly, "M'so sowwy, nee-chan! Pwease forgive me! Pwetty pwease! I beg you! T'sall my fault! So sowwy!"

"Marny!" Penelope barked harshly, jerking her daughter off of Stefania, "Get away from her!"

"Penelope!" Dani barked in return, grabbing her wrist, "Stop it. You'll hurt her. Leave it to me."

"I'm not letting my daughter near that _thing!_" she shrieked, ripping her wrist out of his grasp, "She attacked me and my son. _Your_ son."

"Penny!" Kenneth snapped out of character, "Calm down! We already know that whoever that was, it wasn't Stefania. Calm down and listen to your husband, woman!" Penelope slapped Kenneth across the face, making him stumble back.

"Don't call me woman as if you can order me around! You haven't seen what she can _do, _Kenneth. She makes you go _mad_. Gabe was trying to scratch his own eyes out for God's sakes!" she yelled at him, sounding insane herself, "I want to protect my children, Kenneth." She gripped Marny's shoulders tightly, making her squirm slightly, "Even if it's from my own niece."

"She's not dangerous!" Dani cried in outrage, "That _wasn't our niece!_ You can't say that-!"

"No."

Everyone turned to find Stefania leaning heavily on Allen, with a hand still covering her puffy eyes which stared adamantly at their feet.

"She's right. I am dangerous." She said, lips tight.

"Stefania!" Allen protested, "You aren't dangerous!"

"Yes, I am." She said again, voice cold, "I hurt Gabe and Penelope, Allen. It's _my_ fault they're hurt. I _hit _you. I hurt my own family. I hurt _you._"

"But nee-chan, you didn't mean it!" Marny cried, trying to pull away from her mother's grasp, "It wasn't you! It's not your fault!"

"Yes it was, Marny." Gabe growled, glaring at Stefania, "She accepts it. Get away from her, Marny, before you get hurt too."

"No! It was _my_ fault! I twied to stop the Akuma from hurting nee-chan when she could've easily killed it! She was only trying to pwotect me!" Marny cried.

"Allen, let's go," Stefania mumbled to Allen, "I'm not wanted here. Let's just go find our way back, alright?" Allen pursed his lips but nodded, helping Stefania as they walked back towards the road.

"Wait!"

"Nee-chan!"

"Don't go!"

"Good riddance."

"And don't you _dare_ come back."

…

_I kept falling for what felt like forever in nothingness. It felt as if it were suffocating me to the point where I couldn't breathe. I was sure I would die of oxygen deprivation when it suddenly hit me. Quite hard. I slammed into the ground and groaned softly as I felt someone roll me over, cushioning my head in their lap. I slowly opened my eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden brightness when it hit me, once again. I'd peered directly in his eyes when it'd happened._

_Everything. I saw it all._

"_Thank God, Stefania! I was so worried-!" Allen's voice cut off abruptly, "Stefania? What's wrong? Are you hurt?"_

"_I…" I mumbled, trying to keep my voice steady as the images sped past me. _

_**Red.**_

_**Allen dying.**_

_**The clown at his grave.**_

"_**What's it to ya?"**_

_**Travelling with Mana the crazy clown.**_

_**Slowly learning to smile, laugh.**_

"_**Don't stop; keep moving forward, until the day you die."**_

_**Crashing down.**_

_**Mana dies.**_

_**Mana the **_**Akuma**_**, raising his-**_

_**Pain! Terrible pain! My eye…!**_

_**My arm! No! Stop! Don't hurt him! DON'T!**_

_**Mana…**_

_It's not mine, damn it! I quickly cut off the scream building in my throat and covered my eyes, stopping the downpour of memories._

"_Don't look at me… please…" I choked out, "I can see it…"_

"_Everything, Allen. I see _everything._" I squeaked, burying my head in my arm and crying softly._

"_Nee-chan!" Marny cried, jumping onto me and burrowing her face into the crook of my neck, sobbing loudly, "Nee-chan! M'so sowwy, nee-chan! Pwease forgive me! Pwetty pwease! I beg you! T'sall my fault! So sowwy!" she was quickly jerked off by her mother._

"_Marny! Get away from her!" Penelope snapped, her voice harsh. I slightly cringed away, unused to the hostility from the usually kind woman._

"_Penelope!" Dani barked at her, "Stop it. You'll hurt her. Leave it to me." _

"_I'm not letting my daughter near that… that _thing!_" she shrieked. It felt as if someone had brutally punched me in the stomach, knocking all the air out of my system. I began to pant hard, trying to gather my breath again. So. I'm a _thing_ now?_

"_She attacked me and my son. _Your_ son." She continued, trying to make Dani guilty._

"_Penny!" Kenneth snapped, surprising me, "Calm down! We already know that whoever that was, it wasn't Stefania. Calm down and listen to your husband, woman!" A loud slapping sound was following by a cold silence._

"_Don't call me woman as if you can order me around! You haven't seen what she can do, Kenneth. She makes you go mad. Gabe was trying to scratch his own eyes out for God's sakes!" Penelope screeched, making herself sound insane, "I want to protect my children, Kenneth." She gripped Marny's shoulders tightly, making her squirm slightly, "Even if it's from my own niece." I nudged Allen and he thankfully got the message, helping me up to my feet._

"_She's not dangerous!" Dani cried in outrage, "That _wasn't our niece!_ You can't say that-!"_

"_No." I said, keeping my eyes trained downward. I successfully made everyone quiet as they turned to look at me, "She's right. I am dangerous." I was barely able to keep my voice steady and sure._

"_Stefania!" Allen immediately protested, as I'd expected, "You're not dangerous!"_

"_Yes, I am." I said again, making my voice cold, immediately regretting it. I'm no good at fighting with Allen like this, "I hurt Gabe and Penelope, Allen. It's _my_ fault they're hurt. I _hit_ you. I hurt my own family. I hurt _you_." I heard as Marny began to fight against her mother's grip. _

"_But nee-chan, you didn't mean it!" Marny cried. I bit my lip as I continued to force my eyesight down at her feet instead of at her teary face, "It wasn't you! It's not your fault!"_

"_Yes it was, Marny." Gabe growled. I could feel his eyes piercing through the top of my skull, "She accepts it. Get away from her, Marny, before you get hurt too." Too true._

"_No! It was my fault! I twied to stop the Akuma from hurting nee-chan when she could've easily killed it! She was only trying to pwotect me!" Marny cried. My resolve began to crack as I heard her sob._

"_Allen, let's go." I mumbled to him, afraid I wouldn't be able to leave if I stayed any longer, "I'm not wanted here. Let's just go find our way back, alright?" I was eternally grateful when he nodded silently and helped me back to the road._

"_Wait!"_ _Please,_

"_Nee-chan!" Don't_

"_Don't go!" Look_

"_Good riddance." At _

"_And don't you _dare_ come back." Me._

…

We walked slowly in silence for a while before she began to whisper to me.

"_Stefania?"_

"_Stefania!"_

"_Stefania, please answer me."_

"_I beg you, Stefania, don't ignore me."_

"_Please, Stefania. Speak with me."_

Her voice began to grow strained and thick with emotion.

"_Stefania, I didn't mean to."_

"_Stefania! Listen to me!"_

"_Stefania, it wasn't my fault!"_

"_It was the Noah genes, Stefania!"_

"_Don't trust my true nature, Stefania!"_

"_Stefania, why won't you listen to me?"_

"…"

"_Stefania. Please do not forgive me."_

"_It _is_ my fault."_

"_I should have repressed it more."_

"_Do not trust me, Stefania."_

"_I cannot be controlled at the worst of times."_

"_Don't listen to anything I say."_

"_Please, ignore me as you are now."_

"_Leave me alone. Do not use me."_

"_I do not wish to be disturbed."_

"_Do not tell anyone."_

"_Allow me to die out; try to make me but a bad memory."_

"_I am so __**sorry**__, Stefania."_

"_I did not mean to, but I did it."_

"_You cannot forgive me."_

"_Goodbye, Stefania."_

"_Let us hope we do not see each other again."_

"_For your sake."_

"_And for the sake of your friends."_

Silence.

"Stefania?" Allen asked, halting in his walk, "What happened?" I closed my eyes and bit my lip. I wasn't ready to explain. It was much too early. I shook my head slowly. I sat there, afraid of how Allen might react, when he suddenly pulled me close to him and wrapped his arms around me. I clutched him tightly as he kissed the top of my head, trying to comfort me. I kept my eyes shut tightly. A cold piece of metal began to snuggle into my neck, making me blink and look down.

"Timcanpy?" I mumbled in surprise. Tim nodded and flew out from between us.

"Tim!" Allen smiled, lightening the dark atmosphere, "There you are! You can show us the way back to the others, can't you?" Tim nodded enthusiastically and darted off. Allen and I quickly followed, much to my relief.

I wanted to get away from this wretched place quickly.

…

She stood in the darkness, waiting for him to arrive. She nervously twiddled her thumbs ("Have I really been reduced to doing such things?") and kept her eyes on her sandaled feet. She was ashamed, oh so ashamed. It pained her to think about it. It made her want to crawl in a corner and die. It made her want to purge herself of the darkness within. It also made her want to lash out, though she kept herself restrained. She couldn't do anything about the darkness. It was part of who she was. Nothing could change that. It was in everybody, but only appeared in her and a few select others. It was a curse, her eyes. She'd managed to hide the visions she'd been able to see from Stefania while she held no control of her body, but once she had control… it was impossible to stop herself.

_Why am I doing this?_

She sighed.

_I have too._

_It is the only way._

_It will work._

_It has too._

_I hope._

He stepped into the space, his short, unruly dark hair covering his eyes. He looked exactly as she'd remembered him. Same dark skin, same soft face, same dress shirt, vest, cravat, overcoat, and gloves. He had a small frown on his face, making it obvious he was wondering why she'd called him there. It was extremely difficult to call another one of the others and see each other face to face while they inhabited another's body, but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make. She had to speak with him, to beg to him, though she didn't want to do so. She was desperate, grasping at whatever straws she had left. It was the only way to fix things.

"Nea," she breathed, biting her lip. He looked slightly startled at the sign of nervousness. Not a big surprise for her, he'd never seen her besides her calm and in control side. She had never showed such negative emotion in his presence. He looked straight in her eye, unafraid.

"Why did you call me here?" he asked, his voice ringing like bells, "What happened to you hating me?" His frown deepened. He didn't want to be here, apparently.

"Nea…" she mumbled, watching her vision blur as tears began to fill her eyes, "I need your help." Nea examined her face for a few seconds in silence. He walked forward, his face terrifyingly blank. Suddenly, he smiled and hugged her. She stood stiffly in shock, unable to believe it.

"Took you long enough, sister-dearest." He chuckled into her hair.

"I am not your sister," she huffed, hiding her relief, "We are not related."

"Close enough." He replied easily. She chuckled softly and returned the hug, closing her eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>(AN):** _Hey, guess what guys._ _I finished it. I fucking finished it. YES! I am officially declaring this chapter the best I've ever done. Thank you, thank you, hold the applause. I feel so pumped because I actually  
><em>know _what the hell I'm going to do for later chapters. It should be tons easier to write from now on. HA HA! Screw you, writers block, you ain't go NOTHING on me! Alright, happiness vent time over. Also, I'm totally going to _The Avengers _in 3D in like half an hour. Totally pumped to go since I got new contacts and can actually SEE again. Hooray! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and thanks a million for all the support I've received, since I've been so lazy about it recently. Any questions you want answered, don't hesitate to ask, I'd be happy to help explain things to you all. Also, if you every see a crazy blond teacher named Mrs. B (I will relinquish her name in case she reads this, though I highly doubt it), go punch her in the face. I hate her guts. She's trying to tell me how I'm supposed to read. You don't do that to someone like me, who reads books/fanfics like 24/7. I read the first three Harry Potter books in the first grade. I finished the series by fourth grade. That was my first great accomplishment which really started me on loving to read. I read the entire Series of Unfortunate Events in a month. I read the Artemis Fowl series in less than a fucking week. I read what I please and I don't care what you say!_

_Suck it, Mrs. B! I read out all the books in the library that I found interesting in the first half of school. Don't you go telling me how I'm supposed to read!_

_Err, so yeah. Review, like always, ask any questions you want, and punch Mrs. B for me. That's about all I have to say at the moment. Until next time!_


	15. Goodbyes?

**Victim of Fate Chapter 15 – Goodbyes?**

* * *

><p>"<em>Timcanpy?" I mumbled in surprise. Tim nodded and flew out from between us. <em>

"_Tim!" Allen smiled, lightening the dark atmosphere, "There you are! You can show us the way back to the others, can't you?" Tim nodded enthusiastically and darted off. Allen and I quickly followed, much to my relief._

_I didn't want to stick around there any longer._

…

"_Nea…" she mumbled, watching her vision blur as tears began to fill her eyes, "I need your help." Nea examined her face for a few seconds in silence. He walked forward, his face terrifyingly blank. Suddenly, he smiled and hugged her. She stood stiffly in shock, unable to believe it._

"_Took you long enough, sister-dearest." He chuckled into her hair._

"_I am not your sister," she huffed, hiding her relief, "We are not related."_

"_Close enough." He replied easily. She smiled._

…

**To the last moment of his breath**

**On hope the wretch relies;**

**And e'en the pang preceding death**

**Bids expectation rise.**

**xXx**

**Hope, like the gleaming taper's light,**

**Adorns and cheers our way;**

**And still, as darker grows the night,**

**Emits a brighter ray.**

**~Oliver Goldsmith, **_**The Captivity.**_

…

Ary-kun gathered me into a big hug when we'd first arrived at Anita's.

"Stefania! We thought you were dead!" he cried, happy I was back.

"Gee, nice to see you all have faith in Allen-kun and I." I joked, smiling slightly. It was nice to be back with Ary-kun. He's the only one I need in terms of _family._ Lenalee was hugging Allen, teary-eyed, while Lavi was patting him on the back and joking. Bookman stood to the side, face emotionless as usual, watching me carefully. I was careful not to look into anyone's eyes. Especially Bookman's. It was too dangerous.

"We send you off to get breakfast and you come back two days later," Lavi mockingly scolded us, "with no breakfast."

"Sorry, we kind of got lost." I laughed nervously, scratching the back of my head.

"How did you manage to find us then?" Lenalee asked.

"Tim decided not to show until early this morning," I explained, saving Allen from having to, "He was in Allen-kun's hood the entire time."

"So you just wandered around all of yesterday?" Lavi asked.

"Yep!" I exclaimed. A small mew grabbed my attention and Moya began to climb up my back. She perched on my shoulder and nuzzled my cheek, purring. I smiled and scratched her under the chin with my index finger. Allen began to water at the mouth when he smelt the food coming from inside. Anita noticed and smiled.

"We are planning on leaving in a few hours. While my men are loading the boat, the two of you can go inside and grab something to eat." She offered. Allen gave her wide-toothed grin and began to make his way towards the door. I grabbed the back of his uniform, effectively stopping him.

"Allen-kun, don't be rude!" I scolded, "Thank Ms. Anita for everything she's doing for us."

"Thank you, Ms. Anita!" Allen said sheepishly.

"Just Anita is fine, Allen." She said, smiling in amusement. I bowed slightly towards Anita, keeping my eyes to the ground.

"Thank you for everything, Ms. Anita." I thanked. She tilted her head to the side slightly.

"You know, I find it to be rude if one does not look into the eyes of the one they're thanking." Anita said, "It makes me feel as though you think you are not worthy enough to be in my presence. I would much rather see you as an equal, if you don't mind."

"You've sacrificed much. I show you respect when I refuse to look you in the eye. In a way, I am not worthy enough to be in your presence." I smiled slightly, "Show me you respect my own ways, Ms. Anita, if you wish us to be equals." I could feel everyone's eyes watching me.

"Very well. Stefania, was it?" Anita relented, smiling back to me after a few tense moments, "I'm glad you are on our team."

"As do I, Ms. Anita." I relaxed and allowed Allen to pull me into the brothel, the others trailing behind. We all stopped once we'd opened the door and peered inside.

Good God.

Scantily-clad women were _everywhere._

All the men in our group (excluding Bookman and Lavi, of course) had the decency to blush and cover their eyes.

"_STRIKE!" _Lavi yelled happily over the chatter, jumping forward after pausing a moment to take in the sight. Bookman grabbed a hold of an ear, making Lavi give a small shriek of pain.

"We are not here for the women, baka apprentice." Bookman scolded, frowning at Lavi, "Focus on the mission." Lavi pouted and rubbed his now red ear, grumbling unhappily.

"I thought a brothel was an inn!" I cried, slightly disgusted, "Why didn't anyone warn me?"

"I'm sorry," Anita said, though she didn't look very sorry, "I thought you knew what you were up against." I groaned and covered my eyes at the jab.

"I am not moving my hand until it's safe!" I proclaimed. Anita, I assume, grabbed hold of my arm and led me through the crowds of people and into an empty back room. I peeked out of my hand and sighed in relief. I'd rather not see those women's sins, thank you very much. The others were already sitting down at the table, piling their plates high with food. I sat down next to Allen and Ary-kun, carefully filling my plate with seafood.

Lavi was staring at the door mournfully, absently taking bites of food. I could tell he was still completely aware of the room, never actually taking his eyes off of us. Bookman was next to him, eating something that looked like a vegetable, but I wasn't sure. Lenalee was chatting happily with Anita, whom she sat next to. It looked so… normal. It didn't feel as if we were looking for Allen's mentor, but more like we were on vacation. Ary-kun nudged me.

"Stefania, go and eat some of the sushi here. It's delicious!" he exclaimed, making a point of stuffing the food in his mouth, chewing loudly, and swallowing. I chuckled.

"Ary-kun, you're a vampire, not a pig." I stole a piece of sushi from his plate and popped it in my mouth. I immediately began to choke, spitting the fish onto my plate.

"Oh, _GOD!" _I grabbed a glass of water and chugged it down, trying to take the sour taste from my mouth. Ary-kun began to chuckle evilly, pointing to a small plate of sickly-green looking paste when he thought I wasn't looking. Allen began to laugh.

"Eh, what's so funny?" I demanded Allen, holding my glass of water close.

"That's wasabi," he exclaimed, still chuckling, "You picked one that was covered in wasabi."

"So what?" I asked angrily. They continued to laugh and refused to answer me. I huffed.

"Bookman?" I asked, picking up the plate of wasabi, "What is this?" He raised an eyebrow and took a sip of tea.

"Didn't they just tell you?" he scolded me, "That is a plate of wasabi." I scowled.

"Yes, why _thank you _Captain Obvious." I sneered, setting the dish down, "I should go to you for help more often. I'd be eternally enlightened by the time I'm thirty." Lavi turned, face distraught.

"What about _me?_" he asked, "I'm always here to help and yet you turn to gramps!" Bookman casually took the teapot and poured the tea over Lavi's head, taking a sip of his own tea.

"Hey!" Lavi complained, knocking the teapot away.

"Stupid apprentice… my name is Bookman, not gramps." Bookman replied.

"How did Bookman manage to reach his arm that high?" Allen whispered to me. I looked back at the two and my eyes widened. Bookman was so small compared to Lavi…

I lingered back in the room, catching Allen's attention before he left with the others. I wanted to talk with him. My stomach churned, my body growing jittery. I could feel like something bad was going to happen, and the closer the time came to boarding the ship… it was going to happen soon.

"Allen-kun…" I started, biting my lip nervously, "I…"

"Yes?" he asked, coming close and wrapping a comforting arm around my shoulder. I smiled shyly at how his ears began to burn red.

"Listen… I've a really bad feeling about the ship and…" I trailed off, unable to spit it out. It was way too quick. Even if I did…

"Allen-kun?" I started again.

"Yes, Stefania?" he answered. I shivered slightly when he said my name. Gathering my courage, I laid my head on his shoulder.

"Would you miss me?" I asked. He blinked and I felt his head shift to take a good look at my face.

"What do you mean?" he asked, confused.

"Well… what would you do if I died?" I asked, closing my eyes and grimacing as I awaited his response. He tensed.

"I… Why are you asking me this?" he asked.

"Would you feel sad?" I asked, ignoring his question.

"Stop saying things like that-"

"Well, would you?" I interrupted him, my voice growing a bit angry.

"Stop talking about death, Stefania. You're scaring me." Allen pleaded, his voice uncharacteristically small.

"Allen, just tell me. I need to know." I said, my voice breaking. I hid my face in his neck.

"Know what?" he asked, his voice tired.

"Would you miss me, Allen-kun?" I asked.

"Yes, I would miss you." He answered, pulling my closer into a hug.

"…Thank you." I mumbled.

"Why are you thanking me?" his voice was surprised.

"Now I won't regret, now will I?" I answered after a moment of silence.

"Won't regret?"

"How could I die if I knew no one would miss me, Allen? I'd feel as if I'd accomplished nothing. I made no friends. Nobody liked me. Even though I haven't been out of the castle for long… all of it would've been a waste. All for nothing. Do you see what I mean?" I asked, my voice rising. Allen abruptly moved away from me and placed both hands firmly on my shoulder, forcing me to face him.

"Stefania, look at me!" he just about yelled in my face. His sudden aggressiveness made me look in his eyes. _Nothing…_

"Stefania, don't you _dare _think like that! You've accomplished more than anybody I've ever seen! You've so many friends and family! I haven't seen anyone that doesn't like you. Your life it _not_ a waste!" his voice cracked, "You're funny, you're beautiful, you're intelligent, you're more than anyone could ever ask for! Don't even get me started on you dying, because I swear to you, I'll never let that happen. I'll never leave your side. I love you, Stefania. Everyone else does too. Don't you forget it."

His face was but a few inches from mine as I stared at him wide-eyed, mouth slightly agape. He'd gotten so emotional during his speech… this wasn't just him comforting me. He was telling me the truth. The unshed tears that had threatened to fall throughout him speaking began to fall when I realized _he_ was crying too. Why hadn't I seen it before? How stupid of me. I only thought of myself. Of _course_ the others would be… heart-broken if I'd died. I shouldn't have to ask someone else, let alone _Allen_ who loved me the most, what they would do! Allen, who loved me the most…

"_I love you, Stefania."_

Before I could stop myself, I leaned forward and kissed him.

My lips instantly began to tingle pleasantly. I leaned backed after a few seconds, wiping the salty tears on his cheeks. He stared down at me, his eyes wide. He hadn't moved at all.

"Please don't cry, Allen." My voice cracked as my tears began to fall faster, "Please… I hate to see you cry. I love you too, Allen. You're too much of a happy person to cry. If I see you cry… it makes me feel as if the world's going to end. Please don't cry for me. I don't want to be the reason you cry." He pulled me close once again, the thumb on one hand wiping the wetness off my face while the other tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. He cracked a small smile.

"We'll keep moving forward, together." He whispered, leaning forward for another kiss, "I promise."

…

Lavi silently pulled the small hole in the sliding door. He leaned against the wall, closing his eyes and exhaling deeply as the remorse coursed through his veins. What sort of man watched a moment as private as that? A Bookman and his apprentice, apparently. Lavi had a sick taste in his mouth. It was moments like this where he hated his job. He had to lie to the others. He had to watch them carefully, as if they were lab rats in an experiment. He was supposed to distance himself so all they would be to him is ink on paper. It was impossible.

They were his friends. There was no going back.

"Lavi." Bookman's voice startled him.

"Ah, hey gramps!" he gave a small wave and chucked nervously, "What's up?"

"Go move your lazy ass and help the others prepare the ship." Bookman ordered. Inwardly, Lavi sighed in relief.

"Do I have to?" he whined, pouting.

"Yes you do, lazy apprentice." Bookman frowned at Lavi. Lavi immediately scrambled away before the heavy book could hit him.

"Aye aye, capt'n!" he saluted, rushing over to the ship and leaving Bookman behind.

Bookman took a step back into the shadows as Stefania and Allen walked out from the room. The girl was wiping her red face while the boy was laughing.

They were holding hands.

Bookman narrowed his eyes but remained silent.

All he could do was watch.

…

The woman sighed and leaned back in her chair, frowning.

"You're sure you have nothing to do with this?" she asked the man sitting in front of the piano.

"What would I gain from allowing true love to form?" he chuckled, leaning back, "I've done nothing to them, so stop being so gloomy. You stopped the genes from working, so why aren't you happy?"

A near imperceptible pout formed on her lips.

"I'm happy, Nea. I'm just tired." She answered, "It is much more difficult to control the genes when you're not in the body."

"Whatever you say, sister-dearest." He smirked knowingly.

"Stop calling me that, I'm not your sister." She snapped. He spun on his seat to face Lale, who was tapping her finger on her crossed legs.

"Would you rather be my lover?" he asked seriously. Her finger froze.

3…2…1…

"Why would you ask that, brother-dearest?"

He leaned forward and ruffled her hair.

"Thatta' girl!"

* * *

><p><strong>(AN): **_Yes, that was, in fact, all of my fault. I actually did start writing the chapter immediately after I posted the last one because, really, that's what I always do. But this time, when I went back to continue typing it 1-2ish weeks later, basically half of it was gone. Like fucking POOF. So, that was nice. I then continued to write different scenarios on what the hell should happen, even though I have most of it planned. There's still a lot I can do... Anyway, I wanted to post this before my thirteenth birthday which is on the eleventh, so I am excited! Well... kind of._

_Rate, Review, an' Favorite! It's my lifeblood. It's my drug. It's my reading material. I just need it! Also, holy crap, **TWENTY** reviews. I feel like a genius. There is absolutely no way I would've actually continued this if I hadn't any support and encouraging from others, so thanks you! _


	16. Newsflash: THANK YOU!

**INCOMING NEWS FLASH!**

**I'M A DICK!**

_(But is that really a surprise?)_

Alright, I've been a terrible author in the past 2-ish months.

Being the person I am, I refused to do crap on my story with the excuse that school was ending and that I was tired.

Well, guess what?

I can't use that excuse anymore!

So now, I'm finally putting my metaphorical foot down and getting to business. No more me being lazy and irresponsible.

On July 14th I will be shipping it off to Rome for vacation and will not be returning until around August 12th. On Tuesday (That's this Tuesday, the 26th!) I will be off to go camping with a family friend of mine, but will be returning on Thursday (That's this Thursday, the 28th!).

If you count today, the 24th of June, until the 14th of July, it will be exactly 3 weeks. That is 21 days, for those of you who are too lazy to do the math.

I am giving myself 3 weeks to build you guys the most amazing chapter of your entire lives (or at least for this story) and will be planning it throughout my entire camping trip. Lots of hiking = lots of time to think about my story which = a better start on the 29th.

You guys deserve a great chapter, being the AMAZING reviewers that you are. Because I'm in a charitable and determined mood, I am going to put a list of all my reviewers with a huge THANK YOU at the bottom.

Also, I would like to give a shout-out to **Creative Katherine** who I've been working with for the past week or so on a Death Note fanfic. If you like/read/watched Death Note, then go look at her profile. She has a wonderful selection of stories revolving around L, Watari, and the Task Force we all know and love. The final publication of said fanfic will be released on her channel when it is finished.

Tell Major Katty I sent ya!

TO ALL MY LOVING REVIEWERS: THANK YOU!

In order of review…

**MCRDanime x 3**_ (You're my first reviewer :D Congratulations, you shall be given a whole platter of any cookie of your choice! Thank you so much!)_

**Shaybo27 x 15**_ (You've reviewed on every single chapter, from the very beginning! Hooray! Congratulations, you're given the most dedicated and helpful reviewer reward! I'll add a special mention of you at the end of every chapter. Also, you're given a large table-full of whatever food of your choice, made by Sebas-chan! Thank you very much for your undying loyalty to the story. You've made this author very happy! :3) _

**Gold Phantom **_(Thank you very much for your encouraging review at the very beginning. Believe it or not, getting reviews when you just start a story is the basis of the story actually getting out of its first few chapters. Be proud!)_

**XxBishxX **_(Thanks so much for the review. Earlier on, I got lazy and sometimes missed a week. Sorry for the inconvenience, but I'm glad you took the time to review!)_

**Azura Soul Reaver x 2 **_(I greatly appreciate you reviewing and giving me helpful comments. I'll be sure to peek more into Nea's and Lale's interactions more in the future! :))_

**boneskatana **_(I'm happy you're happy whenever I update! I like to make people happy and to make them laugh, and that's one of the reasons why I actually write other than to get the plot bunnies out of my head. Thanks for taking the time to review :))_

__**THANK YOU!**

****I could have _never_ gotten as far as I have without all of you wonderful people. But it's not just my reviews, it's also the people who've been favoriting and putting alerts on my story. Don't you _dare_ think that just because I haven't mentioned your name in the list of people above means I don't appreciate all that you've done.

Hell, just seeing people who actually read the story sends my blood pumping, let alone seeing reviews!


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